CP High 2
by Ice wind1
Summary: It's back for another year with familar faces and more. Let's take a trip back to that special place. Rated T just to be safe.
1. The Return

(Well well folks, it's been a little bit haven't it? I'm not a hundred percent on what to write here but let's just say that this chapter is up here early for a certin someone who's been rather excited about this story XD Anyway here it is, we are back for another year at CP High with Max and the gang. If you haven't read the first you can enjoy this one but you will be a little lost so it would be best to read the first ^^ I'll stop babbling and let you guys read. I proudly present to you the first chapter of CP High 2, enjoy folks!)

Chapter 1: The Return

_My head aced but I was too close to stop now. The lamp on my desk pushed away the creeping darkness in the room, the slight woollen smell of the walls filling my nostrils. There was nothing but darkness outside…the night was still but my fingers worked feverishly. The keys of the typewriter clicking and clacking the story on the white page taking shape and form. I had to finish it, she was relaying on me. I had lost precious time, the dead line was tomorrow I had no time to waste…it would take her away and I'd never see her again. I felt it here in the room with me, the breathing in the left hand corner behind me. It was here making sure I was doing what I was told, that I was writing. But I felt that the more I wrote the less of me and more of her was in the pages._

_"Wake up writer…"_

I jolted awake my head meeting the usual dials and dodads on a coach. Even in my drowsy state I could make out the slightest giggles coming from the back of the coach. I rubbed the top of my head trying to easy the sharp pain that resided there now, the razor sharp lines beginning soften on the painometer. Through a blurry eye I could see the structure of CP High on the horizon, I was spending another year there. I imagined the smiles there, of Christie, Yuna and Paine all smiling…of all the fun and laughter I had shared with them last year…of the feelings I never shared with them. In the midst of my self-murmurings the bus pulled up to the building. The bright memory of the sunny day in Besaid blow away as occupants of the bus made their way off the bus. I saw old faces possible friends and enemies…and I could have sworn that there were some new ones among them.

The sun almost blinded me as I exited the coach. The flat front fields to the school had thousands of blossomed flowers and trees. I started my walk to the school doors taking in the sights as I went. These were flowers you'd never see in books, some were untamed colours while others seemed to glow and resonate they were truly a sight to see. The grounds seemed to teem with life, students were already making themselves at home playing games and relaxing with one another. I was pleased to find that someone had held the door open for me, I thanked the strawberry pink haired girl as I rushed up to take the weight of the door for myself. She merely smiled letting go as she walked on, I noticed what she was wearing.

Dark purply brown boots that were held on by two belts near the bottom and top of the calf. A short brown jean skirt with a red bag belted to the left hand side by red belts. A black bag that hung a ways down her legs its belts disappearing up behind the red side cap she wore. At the top of her left arm sat what looked like a shoulder guard, two glowing yellow bands went across the breadth of it. Beneath this was a black skin-tight sleeve that started a little above her elbow and disappeared into a blue glove with shinny brass on the knuckles. Her right arm was plainer she still sported the same glove but on the top part of her arm were two bands jagged in appearance the top was thicker than the bottom one. A white sleeveless top was placed over greyish purple turtle neck, though near the midriff several laces were undone showing a small part of her flat stomach and a belt was tied just under her bust. She herself was slim yet curvy, her arms showing slight signs of toning…she was defiantly a fighter. Her light strawberry hair flowed down but strangely was kept on her front rather than letting it flow down her back. Her fringe was jagged flowing more over to the right side of her face before coming down into a slight point below the chin, it pointed out to the side slightly on the other side.

"Excuse me?" I broke from my paragraphed line of thought.

"Yes?" I turn round to the voice, I was unaware I had walked down the entrance corridor and now stood in the lush main hall.

"You…don't happen to now where the main office is do you?" The strawberry haired girl asked, her voice was rather quiet yet held strength to it.

"Yes I'm going there myself, I'll show you the way!" She smiled very slightly, she seemed a strong person at heart…she reminded me heavily of Paine when I first met her.

I walked on, my brain pulling the layout of the school. Rounding corners and ascending stairs I followed the old dusty route that Hitomi took me on at the beginning of my first year here…I was surprised I remembered it so well. I did not hear a word from my silent companion. When we arrived at the office the machina at the desk placed the two timetables on the counter. My companion scooped up hers very quickly, I placed mine neatly folded into my backpack. And by the time I had raise my head…she was gone. I wondered if I had done something to upset her, but my fears were put to rest by another and the sudden weight on my back.

"Boo!" I knew that hyper little voice anywhere.

"Rikku!" I managed to get a hold of one of her legs and seat her on my back. "How are you?" I couldn't contain my excitement in seeing her again.

Rikku settled into my piggyback ride "I've been great thanks!" She played some little musical number on my back "I've been looking everywhere for ya!" My curiosity peeked. "We've got something really cool to show ya!"

"Then point the way!" I heard her giggle at my stupid knightly voice I put on.

"Onward!" Rikku pulled further forward pointing a finger out in front of me to show me the way. I took of with Rikku on my back making stupid engine noises…it was good to be back.


	2. Virtual War

(As promised the next chapter. I think I didn't do as well on this chapter...or maybe I'm just too tired and doubting myself - , -)

Chapter 2: Virtual War

"Hey!" Yuna smiled at us from afar, her smile making any worry small or large disappear. Rikku catapulted herself from my back, she sprinted to Yuna giving her a hug. "You're late." Yuna giggled sweetly eyes sparkling at me.

"Uh don't mean to ruin the touchy kissy kissy moment, but uh they're running out of spaces in there." Gippal quickly shoved a full white body suit into my hands. I noticed everyone was wearing one…well Rikku was trying to wear one, her leg was stuck in the wrong leg slot.

It a little elbow grease but after a time I managed to fit into the suit. Yuna chuckled seeing how uncomfortable I looked, she touched a something on the ring around my left chuff. The suit deflated stretching itself out after a second it pulled back in refitting itself more comfortably to my frame. We stepped into the blinding whiteness of the games room, I remembered all the games I played in here last year.

"What are the suits for?" My eyes started adjusting to the glare.

"Well…" Shinra's voice came over the loud speaker "They're able to accurately respond to cause and effect in game…meaning if you take a hit you will actually feel the impact. But we need to synch everyone up first…"

"Woah wait!" Gippal jumped on the spot "I don't want to feel pain when getting shot in a game!"

Shinra was silent for a second "You can turn the function off…but some of the new games use the suit."

I felt something cold touch my neck, it spread up. Small parts of white started to invade my vision…the room vanished as fragments of data and lines began to fly pass. We were in the streets of Luca.

"Cool!" Rikku jumped now in her normal thief dressphere.

"When did you change Rikku, ya?" Wakka noticed he himself had his normal attire on "When did I change ya!"

"It's the suits…they can replicate any clothing" Shinra laughed quietly "It even has voice changer…"

Baralai looked back at me in confusion "What do you mean-" He covered his mouth, his voice had gone up several semi tones making him sound like a chipmunk.

Shinra gave a small laugh "Right let's start the synching…"

_Test commencing…_ I blinked at the small message that popped up in the bottom right of my vision. The floor gave out from under me, the image of Luca cracked and shattered. I heard the wind pick up as my vision began to blur from the speed I was falling at. My head began to spin from the fall, my limps went limp as the world began to black out.

Running…

My head span from the many tests the synching had put me through. Which hand to you write with? Height? Weight? Sport preference? All I could say is I was glad it was over and done with. I swear if I get asked to kick another can I'll strangle the creator! And as far as I knew we were playing some sort of war game now.

"Hey!" Wakka knocked me outside the helmet, I wouldn't have mind if I wasn't sitting next to the open door of a helicopter. "You ok, ya? You sorta look like you out of it!"

"I'm fine!" I yelled over the defening router blades. "Just how do we play this game?" Wakka shrugged.

"First game huh?" A soldier leaned forward, I recognised Cloud's face under the goggles. "Don't worry just point and shoot! And better to stick with the rest of our team! And have fun! No one knows how to play yet!" He sat back smiling.

"Ten seconds!" The call came from the front of the Chopper.

"Stick together guys!" Baralai couldn't hide the smile on his face, he looked like he really was having fun. Paine's response got drained out with the chopper blades.

The dusty outskirts of a city came into sight, gun fire was erupting from nearby houses pelting the highway.

"5 SECONDS!"

"Woo! Gonna kick me some ass!" Zell sat very eagerly near the open door. I chuckled slightly.

The chopper steadied over the highway, the ropes dropped "Green light! Go GO GO!"

"Get out da choppa!" Rikku slide down a rope almost making me fall out from laughing so hard.

I slide down into the fray, hitting the ground I grabbed cover. A sudden thud echoed over the gunfire, Zell was picking himself up from a tumble from the chopper Cloud and Squall were laughing their hearts out.

"_Big Momma this is Little Bird package delivered providing fire support over."_

"_Copy that Little Bird out"_

I watched as the chopper flew off the mini gun crews opening up on the city below. I kept low and made my way over to the others, another batch of soldiers was being flown in on the horizon.

"You lot! I need to down in the town to provide fire support for Echo 7, they're taking a pounding. They've got a friendly sniper posted so flash twice!" The commander's eyes set on me "You got any experience with a radio son!"

"No sir!" I shook my head helmet almost falling off.

The commander slid over a radio pack "Then learn! Corpsman!" A helmet popped up from behind a wrecked car "You're with them! You three!" He pointed to Cloud, Zell and Squall. "You stay here you're squad leader's team is on the way in! And what the hell are you all still doing here! Get moving!"

Wakka took off "On me!" We all followed him down the highway and towards the off ramp.

"Can't believe that's an NPC!" Gippal caught up with me.

"Yeah tell me about it! Never thought one would be organising players!" Something hit me. "Where's Christie?"

"We haven't seen her" Paine dropped back a bit "Probably will make her way in later in the day or tomorrow since it's a free day today."

It was an easy walk into the city, the gun fire gave us more than enough cover to get in unnoticed as did the setting sun. Houses had been abandoned, the streets were empty…it was like a ghost town. I felt the sand under my boots, my guns muzzle always the first thing to clear a doorframe while checking. I felt chills run down my shine as we creeped closer and closer to the location of Echo. Wakka stopped at corner shop, he peeked round the corner.

"I don't see anything ya…" He settled full round the corner.

"Didn't they say something about a sniper?" Baralai packed his leg in from the glass doorway.

"Maybe we can get them on radio?" I recognised the voice, Hitomi looked at the ground a little, our corpsman. "…Sorry…" She remained silent.

"Hey don't worry Hito!" Rikku threw her an arm around her shoulders Hitomi looked up. "The past is the past. And anyways you got rid of Dona and her stupid little pack of hussy's." Hitomi seemed to lower her head a little at the 'hussy's' parts.

"It was just a phase." I fiddled with the dial on the radio "So don't worry!" Hitomi looked up at me a small look of disbelief on her face. "No worries!" I winked at her, she smiled.

Something snapped, Wakka fell.

"SNIPER!" Gippal staggered back, I grabbed Wakka by the collar and pulled.

The guns opened up as soon as I was clear, I placed the limp Wakka out of the line of fire in an ally. Surprisingly he groaned. I checked his front…_heavy body armour_. I smiled.

"I'm turning the pain sensors down next time ya."

"Bring the heavy armour next time too!" I nearly laughed as the winded but not out Wakka made his way to his feet.

The mood didn't last long…we'd stirred up hell. The street light up with gunfire the ally was sprayed by a machine gun. I could barely hear the screams over the gunfire. I threw myself into a doorway in the ally, Wakka threw himself into a door and into the corner store where the others were. The walls popped and hissed, I felt a sum of fear as the spray rained down on the alley. It subsided, foreign voices shouting at one another, I poked an eye out it had jammed on them. I stole the chance and dived for the door my heart racing, the alley exploded a second later. Hitomi pulled me further behind the counter as rounds hissed through the glass windows of the store.

"Wakka get us out of here! This place is a death trap!" Paine ducked as the counter was shredded by a hail of fire.

Wakka looked lost "Baralai!" He looked at me "Get a smoke in the alley we're getting out of here!" He nodded.

Tidus followed Baralai "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" He span round the corner and fired grenade into the window, the smoking cartage fell from the under barrel grenade launcher, he loaded another. Tidus popped his head round the corner "CLEAR!" Everyone started to back out cover each other, covering sectors, suppressing the enemy.

Baralai through the smoke into the middle of the street, we barely let it build before we all ran. No one was in command, we were just all scared…the game we were all playing seemed all too real to us. I slide over a concrete block the bullet snapping not far behind.

"_All units…this is Big Momma. All units leave the area…I repeat all units fall back."_

"What? They're falling back!" Tidus loaded another clip.

"This is not good!" Baralai fell back into cover.

"What the fact we're getting shot at or the entire force falling back?" Paine clipped one holding an RPG.

"Think about it! The entire force is falling back if we don't move we'll get left behind!" It was a horribly frightening thought…to be left in the hornets nest.

"Max!" Wakka spoke up. "Get on the radio and get us a ride out of here ya!"

I slipped down surrendering my weapon for the bulky form of the radio. I turned dials and flicked buttons…I had no idea how to work this. "Alpha to Big Momma! Alpha to Big Momma respond!"

"_Alpha this is Big Momma over"_

"Big Momma we need pick up! We are pinned down by multiple hostile requesting immediate evac!"

"_Alpha hold for evac request." _It was a tense moment, the gun fire seemed to drown out as I listened intent. "_Alpha…that is a negative on the evac area is too hostile you'll need to make your way out on foot over"_

My heart sank…"Roger that Big Momma…" The line went dead, blindly I threw the receiver down and squeezed a few rounds off at the enemy.

Paine watched me ideally "…They're not coming are they?…"

"…No…" I sat down on the road.

"Well…" Tidus rubbed his chin "It is just a game so…why don't we just run for it?"

"What do you mean by 'run for it'?" Hitomi raised an eyebrow.

"We just run for it and hope for the best…or we stand and fight see how long we can hold em!" I wasn't too thrilled by the second idea.

"Next you'll be wanting to run at them naked!" Gippal chuckled as he threw his useless empty rifle to the side.

Tidus tugged on his top, it only stretched to the collar "Oh I really wanted to do that one…" he huffed folding his arms over his chest.

"_Alpha this is big bird! Heard you guys needed a ride out of here!"_

I had completely forgotten about the radio.

"_I can pick your squad up at the main square it should be three blocks east of your current postion…don't be too long though we're running on fumes here!"_

"You heard him ya!" The confidence in Wakka's voice returned "Let's get outta here ya!"

Something rumbled the foreign shouts changing to calm ones, I peeked over the top of my cover. The firing had stopped…but there was one big armour plated reason for it.

"TANK!" The main cannon fired.

The next few minutes are hazy. I remember the concrete block shattering, the constant ringing in my ears, Yuna hurriedly pulling me to my feet, my clumsy sprint down the street, something wet hitting the dusty road. Then a sharp pain in my back, razor hot steel…then it all goes black.

_K.I.A…_

Light invaded my eyes, stinging my pupils, making the back of my head throb. Yuna was sat next to me.

"Welcome back!" She smiled a small blush easing out over her nose as I lay on the ground looking up at her. She stood up then extended a hand "Come on! We need to get you all set up in our room for tomorrow!" I took her hand, she chuckled, now it was my turn to blush.


	3. New Faces

(Sorry it I took a while writing this, was spending some time sorting things out plus I was not really looking forward to describing 7 new characters XD I think I did ok on some, but hey you guys can look the names up if you need an actual picture of them :) Anway enjoy!)

Chapter 3: New Faces

The sun began to dip below the horizon, it's yellow dimming rays gently kissing the land goodnight as mother night wrapped the world in her blanket. I was standing on the balcony, letting my thoughts fly through the air like I had so many times before. I imagined two small slender streams of shadows twisting and turning as they rose up to the open sky. They swayed in rhythm with each other drawing closer, almost touching. They danced a strange turning twisting dance as the stars began to shine down, sparkling in the night sky.

A sudden knock on the pane glass awoke me from my thoughts "You'll catch a cold out there." Yuna smiled sweetly through the glass, eyes gently following my movements. I felt my cheeks burn red, I went inside out of the cool night-time air. "Are you okay? You seem…distant" Her face lit up with concern.

I smiled "I just…" I felt a lump in my throat, her eyes watching me, glistening in the low light. My mind swirled with things to say. I love you. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. My heart caught itself, the flickering image of a certain white haired girl flowing through my mind. And another of a certain warrior…her pale face shaping itself rarely into a smile.

"Max?" I heard Yuna ask gently, I felt her soft hand rest itself on my shoulder.

I felt myself shaking, the wave of emotions coming over me as if a long closed dam had suddenly been opened. My eyes began to water, tears flowed over the sides running down my cheeks. Yuna began to look worried…

"I just…I…It just feels…" A smiled stretched out over my lips, spools of happy memories playing themselves in a space of a waking moment. "It feels so good to be home again!"

Yuna sniffed her eyes glittering with tears, she smiled gently…her arms came around my waist pulling me into a warm embrace. I held her back.

Something shook me.

"Wake up sleepy head." The soothing tone made me plunge deeper…intill ringing pain thundered through my head.

I sat up quick as lightning, my head robbing slightly, my ears ringing.

"Well…" Paine discarded a frying pan "That got you up…we've been trying for 15 minutes now."

I blinked stupidly still half-asleep despite the force of the hit, I caught the smallest bit of white to my right. A pair of icy blue eyes watched me…I knew them.

"Hello again." Christie smiled her voice carrying a cheerful tone to it. She had grown her hair longer, it was just sitting a little way below her shoulder blades. She noticed me staring "I'm getting it cut later on today…I don't have long hair, it gets in the way." I ran a hand through my own as I stood up…mines was getting a bit too long as well.

"Hey! Come on!" Rikku popped her head around the doorway "We'll be late if you three don't hurry!" We followed after her.

The door to the classroom burst open, we all stumbled through. Auron looked over the rim of his glasses at us.

"Late on the first day…" He didn't sound happy…but Auron never did. "…I'll let this go once, make sure you aren't all late again…now…take a seat." I was wrong…he wasn't even in a half way decent mood. I quickly took a seat like the others, we had managed to have the same as last year…oddly there were a few extra seats. "Like I was saying…before I was so rudely interrupted. We have some new students join us this year…you'll also be given a new form tutor this year." I caught Dona and Helena sprucing themselves up out the corner of my eye. Auron looked towards the door, two sets of eyes were looking in their owners almost leapt when they noticed Auron had spotted them. "You can come in now!" The door opened.

First to walk in was a very tall boy with a heavy built frame, he was the sort with broad shoulders who you wouldn't want to take a hit from. He wore a long very light brown trench coat, which cut off near the forearm. Under that was a blue shirt with a black vest edging in the V, he had a tribal looking necklace the jewellery twirled round on itself. A strange metal kind of armlet sat a little ways above his elbow on his left arm. He had black loose trousers and grey boots. His hair was blonde, stubble on his chin and a black skullcap sitting neatly on his dome. Oddly he sported a blue tartan scarf in his trench coat and black leather gloves. A strange looking tribal tattoo was on his forearm, a very spiky design tower like design.

Behind the him was a girl, who in size was several times smaller than him. She had a white long vest top that had five buttons the top opened out towards the bottom, over that she wore a white shoal. She had the same necklace as the boy, it was clear they were a couple by how close they were standing and the necklaces. A tartan skirt with a black rim complimented the black leg stockings that stopped on her mid thighs. For shoes she wore pair of sand coloured high tops with black laces. On her left wrist was a twisted bangle of sorts and on the same arm just below the shoulder was a full-length bandage. She had blue eyes and strawberry pink hair…she reminded me heavily of the girl I had met on arrival.

Pushed in against his will was a young boy. His large blue eyes took in the room fearfully, his very light dirty blondish hair jittering from his flighty movements. He had a light green shirt a blue scarf around his neck and sat on top was an orange greenish jacket. He had black gloves that had a white palm on his left hand an orange piece of cloth was tied around his wrist. Greenish pants that cut off a little ways after his knee and greenish boots that had a belt around the tops of them.

Skipping in next was a girl just a little taller than the young boy. Her large green eyes quickly flicked over faces in the room as her face was nothing but a smile. Her light reddish hair came to curly pigtails at either side of her head. The Curled tooth like earrings were almost hidden by her hair. Her outfit was a bit…scantily clad. She had a pinkish red tank top that had a line of jewellery running down to her frilly skirt. A ton of differently shelled handmade necklaces decorated her neck and a small fur patch covered the back of her short frilly skirt. She had fur lined short boots and several bangles around each wrist.

Next to walk in was a tanned girl with messy black hair. Her outfit was a lot simpler from the other two girls. She wore a blue robe that came down from her left shoulder and crossed across her chest. It flowed over to the left side completely covering her left leg, it was belted in at the waist. Two leather wrist guards made their way up to just below her elbow. Underneath the robe was a black tank top. Leather boots stopped a little below her knee, the fronts and backs were cut out three strips were cut out from the top of the boot allowing air to flow more freely. On her left shoulder was a black tattoo that looked like the jaws of a monster worked into a tribal piece, it stopped just above her elbow. On her left arm was a blue tattoo that was the same as the tall boys…though I looked like at one time it had scarred badly as white lines were left behind in her skin…as if she had tried to claw it off. Her blueish grey eyes scanned the room.

To my surprise the girl from before walked in last, she crossed her arms standing with the others at the front of the class…she looked like she really didn't want to be here.

"Well…" Auron started settling in his seat behind his desk, the 7 looked at him. "…Don't you want to introduce yourself?" They all looked at each other.

"Snow Villiers!" The tall boy introduced himself confidently a wide grin spreading out across his face.

"Serah Farron!" The girl next to him bowed smiling.

Serah nudged the young boy in the ribs…quite hard by the looks of it "U-uh, um" He stammered clearly unnerved "Hope…Hope Estheim." He went a little red in the face.

"Vanille!" The young girl bounced forward "Vanille Oerba Dia!" Again she bounched her voice was light and full of energy.

The messy hair girl sort of swung her shoulders. "Fang Oerba Yun." Her voice had a heavy Australian accent to it "But just call me Fang!"

I heard a loud snort from the back of the room, all eyes fell on Bayman.

"Ok _FANG!_ Hope you don't bite _FANG!_" I snorted stupidly, Tina, Dona, Len and Helena fell in line with him.

Fang threw him a look that could kill, the tribal woman folded her arms. "Problem?" Her tone stiffened becoming very intimidating. Snow gave him a raised eyebrow as if to say 'What's your problem?' …Bayman fell silent trying to play it off cool.

"…Behave yourself Bayman…" Auron added in sternly "And you at the end miss?"

The girl looked away towards the door arms firmly crossed over her chest. "…Lightning" Serah made a small noise at her the girl winced slightly "…Lightning Farron." Her younger sister smiled.

"Very well…go and take a seat so the lesson can start." The 7 took the seats on the left side of the room near the front. I saw Gippal moved forward so that Snow could be a bit more comfortable in the tiny space. "Your new tutor will be in tomorrow…as from that lets get started." Auron went on with the lesson.


	4. The Enemy of my Enemy

Chapter 4: The enemy of my enemy…

Auron's lecture dragged on…Jenova, The History of Guardian Forces, The Manifestation of Sin he wasn't wasting anytime. Yuna's pencil was hard at work taking notes…I had lost all hope in taking notes after the fifty important facts on Jenova in thirty seconds. But then again I think Yuna could barely keep up with Auron's lectures, I don't even think a machina would be able to take in all this without overheating…or self destructing. Rikku was sprawled out on her desk in defeat, Gippal had fallen asleep, Baralai had broken his pencil and was trying to hold the lead in. Paine was ideally flicking through her notepad, Christie was rubbing her temples. The bell rang causing a sudden stop to the onslaught of knowledge, students packed away quickly

"Don't forget your textbooks for tomorrow! They'll be a pop quiz tomorrow!" I dived out the door to freedom before Auron could get another word in.

"…Yevon…I forgot how bad Auron's history classes were." Baralai's face was red, as if his head would explode at any moment.

Gippal walked straight into his locker door with a clang "…Please someone kill me now!" He spun round holding his head. "IT'S IN MY H-" He got cut short by Christie who hit him over the head with her folder.

"Keep your voice down…my head hurts enough as it is…" Gippal stayed quiet, not wanting to annoy the assassin further. Christie pulled out her timetable from her jean pocket, she frowned "And we have gym class next…great" A loose long strand of hair fluttered annoyingly into her vision…she sighed pushing it back into place.

"So what do y-" A loud crash came from further down the corridor.

"TRAITOR!" Another crash. "TURNCOAT!" I caught the glimpse of a shoe before it violently struck someone cowering near a wall of lockers. "PIECE OF SHIT!"

My heart sank, curled up into a ball, afraid, was Hitomi. She was dressed in a denim jacket and jeans, terrified to move as her once former friends pelted her with textbooks, shoes and even high heels. I took a step, then another…_Hitomi_. Again I felt a needle in my heart as a textbook hit her in the back of the head. I couldn't just stand there and watch, before I knew it I was sprinting down the corridor. The chaos came closer and closer as my heels spurred me on, I slid, coming to a halt in front of Hitomi.

"Move." Dona stated, she blinked as I held my ground "I said move dumbass!" The loud sob from behind me rooted me to the spot.

"Hey you deaf as well as dumb?" Leon stepped out of the shadows of Dona's group "She said move!"

I grinned in my feat of madness "Not gonna happen." _What the hell are you doing Max?_ My arms stretched out "You want her…you go through me!"

The moment hung in the air, suspended in time. The look on their face was to die for, a mixture of surprise and anger. That someone they had pinned a complete loser was now her standing up to them and not backing down. Bayman stepped out of the group, he cracked his knuckles.

"…Don't say I didn't warn you…" He grinned. I felt a sum of fear.

"…Warn who?" The voice came from nowhere. Someone stood next to me "All I see here is an everyday hero standing up for someone in need!" Snow put a giant hand on my shoulder. "The kids right. You want her! Then you're going to have to go through us!"

A circle of people had appeared round us, new and old faces among them. I saw Yuna, Rikku, Paine, Christie, Baralai, Gippal, Wakka, Nooj and Lulu in the walls. _I knew you guys wouldn't let me down. _I smiled.

Dona and her lackeys walked away pushing through the ring that held them. Quickly I turned to check on Hitomi.

"Hitomi?" I crouched down next to her, she lifted her head…her lip was burst and her face bruised. Again I felt a needle in my heart. "Your all right now, we chased them off" Her eyes watered up I pulled her into a hug.

"Hitomi?" Yuna touched her arm gently. "We need to get you to the nurses office ok?" Hitomi nodded head still buried in my chest.

I stood outside the nurses office Hitomi had been in there for what seemed like an age. Everyone else had went to class Yuna would tell Gen Fu why I wasn't there or would be late. The door to the nurses office slid open, there stood Hitomi jacket in hand…her naked arms covered in bandages both sticky and cloth. She looked away, a single bandage on her right cheek…shame written all over her face.

"…Thank you." She placed her left arm over her right, gripping it for comfort.

I smiled hoping she would look at me while it was there "I couldn't just stay in the background and let them do that to you Hitomi." She finally looked at me. "I wouldn't have had a smooth start here if it wasn't for you. No matter what happened last year, you're a friend and always will be!"

A moment passed as Hitomi stood there taking it all in, confusion turned to surprise the surprise turned to a gentle smile.

It turned out the Gen Fu had heard about what had happened, he didn't mind us being late. To be honest he was more concerned about Hitomi's well being than missing half and hour of class time. Gen Fu was like that, always thinking about his students. It was a daunting thought that we had missed gym…Bass would probably put us through hell next time for missing it.

"So what is it called again?" Vanille peeked over the counter at the dod of dough.

Hitomi giggled pushing a hollow steel pipe into the dough "It's called a jam doughnut!" She carefully squeezed the bag at the end.

"Can I have one?" Vanille finally stood up…nearly crushing my foot in the process.

Again Hitomi giggled "Nope! Cause you'll get an unhappy tummy if you eat them just now. First we gotta fill them then we gotta cook em!"

Since we had been late to class, everyone had already chosen partners for cooking. Vanille had wandered off in the corridors soooo yeah…she only managed to find the class by shear luck. Hitomi looked like she was enjoying herself, I watched as she and Vanille watched the doughnuts baking in the oven. How Hitomi kept telling Vanille exactly what see was doing and why as the other girl nodded taking mental notes. I slipped on some oven mitts as I went to retrieve the goods from the inferno.

"Oh wow!" Vanille bounced on the spot as I lay the batch of perfectly browned doughnuts on the counter. "Can we eat them yet?" Hitomi shook her head.

"Nope not yet! We need to let them cool first or the jam will burn our lips!" She smiled cleaning her hand on the towel she had on her piny.

"Awwww…" Vanille's shoulders shrunk "I wanted to have one now, they look so yummy!"

"Ok!" Hitomi smiled "Then I'll show you a trick my mother taught me." Hitomi came over scooping up a small knife as she went. Skilfully she cut a shallow X into the top of the doughnut "You see if we cut a little x into the top of them, then we give the steam somewhere to escape from. Meaning they'll cool faster! But we need to be careful not to cut too deep over we'll end up cutting the jam pocket we made!" I watched as she worked quickly and happily. When she'd finished she presented one to Vanille, who wasted no time in eating it.

"It's so good!" I what I managed to pick out from Vanille, Hitomi laughed sweetly.

"Here." She held one out for me, I took it noticing the small M cut into the top. I smiled a small chuckle escaping my lips.

"Thank you Hitomi!" I smiled taking a small bite, Hitomi shook her head.

"No, thank you!" She smiled pulling up a doughnut with a small H cut into its top to her lips.

Vanille quickly pinched another jam doughnut.


	5. Bubbles

(Sorry about this chapter, I've been having a rough time as of late. But anyway please, enjoy!)

Chapter 5: Bubbles

I settled at the table with the others, the lunch hall was packed as usual. Yuna quickly took the seat to my left as I parked myself on the far left of the bench. Tidus nearly threw himself through the whole table as he eagerly started to devour his pizza slice. Baralai and Gippal were stupidly fighting for a middle seat, Nooj perched himself as far away from them as possible. Rikku, Paine and Christie took a seat across from where Yuna and I were sitting. Wakka sat in the middle with Hitomi perching near the end of the bench. Wakka quickly caught on to Hitomi.

"Hey! You don't need to sit all the way down there ya!" Hitomi watched on astonished. Wakka smiled widely "Come on down from there ya!" Tidus added something along the lines of 'Yeah!' but his mouth was muffled full of pizza crust.

"But I…" Hitomi trailed off "But what happened last year and-"

"Last year is last year Hito! Forget about it! You just got in with the wrong crowd is all" Gippal took a bite of his subway roll.

"And if we're going on that then Tidus and I are just as guilty…" Christie glanced at my shoulder her hair its normal length again.

I caught the slight click of a heel "Ah, Hitomi." Lulu had appeared from thin air, Hitomi squirmed a little. "Don't worry." Lulu chucked very lightly "I don't bite." Lulu sat down beside Wakka, Wakka snaked an arm around her waist touching his cheek to hers.

"So…um" Yuna went a little red "W-what have you been doing over the holidays?" A small blush flushed over her nose as she looked at me with her green and blue sparkling orbs. I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Uh!" I rubbed the back of my neck my face growing redder with each passing second. "Not much to be honest." _Smooth Max…really smooth._ I mentally kicked myself. Yuna giggled sweetly.

"Excuse me." I looked behind to see Serah and the rest of the new students behind me "Sorry but could we sit with you, there aren't any more free tables left." She shielded herself slightly with her lunch tray.

"Of course. There's plenty of room." Before Baralai could finish we had already started to make some more room for them.

Snow and Serah sat together his size dwarfing her, the only thing that was the same size were the trays. Vanille and Hope sat along from them, with Fang and Lightning sitting down last. Hitomi was right by Lightning and Lulu was next to Serah. I watched on as Fang was seemingly having a hard time breaking a piece of bread in two. She raised an eyebrow the baguette having not even bent slightly, taking a breath she pulled…it held.

"Bloody nora…" Fang frowned, Paine looked up at her from her book. "What do they make these things out of, baked clay?" Curiously she tapped it on the table…it gave an odd thump.

"It can't be that hard!" Without warning Snow grabbed it out of Fangs hand.

He twisted, arms straining…the bread held its resolve. He gritted his teeth trying to break the thing in half now, a nerve was standing out on his forehead his face growing redder and redder, eyes almost popping from the sockets. There was a sudden snap, a cry from across the dinner hall, an 'oh shit' look on Snow's face. In the last few seconds the bread stick had snapped flown across the hall…and hit some poor soul square in the crutch. Something threw across the hall hitting Tifa she gapped chocolate pudding tripping of her hair, she erupted throwing creamed rice into Shelinda's face.

"Bail?" Paine closed her book ducking a slice of apple pie.

"BAIL!" We all scrambled out of the seats ducking various foodstuffs. In the middle of the hall Brother was being beaten over the head with a turkey.

_Bloody hell! Take about a food fight! Apples being fired across the room, porridge being used bombarded…pretty sure I saw some green peas being airlifted to safety._

"Hey!" A sudden knock came from my changing room door "Are you finished yet?"

"Yeah two seconds!" I quickly tied the string on my trunks, last thing I wanted was for them to come of in the pool!

I emerged painfully aware of my lack of clothing. Nooj, Baralai, Wakka, Tidus, Snow, Hope and Gippal were waiting for me by the door. I followed them through the door, the cool air of the changing room turning to a smugy blaze. The cool water from the showers took the heat away slightly, I could clearly make out Helena sitting at the side.

"Uh…how do you swim with a metal leg?" Nooj turned at the question, Hope stood like a deer in the head lights his orange trunks gleaming in the harsh light.

"Ha!" Gippal spurted out "Nooj doesn't swim he sinks!"

"…Says the man wearing purple swimming trunk…"

"Says Noojie woogie in his plain old boring black trunks. Look at me! I'm Noojie Woogie in my totally fashionable black trunks!" Gippal hopped from one foot to the other pointing at his own trunks wearing a stupid expression.

"…Child." Was Nooj's stern comeback, Gippal blow a raspberry at him Snow almost keeled over from laughing so hard.

"You better not be having all this fun without us!" Rikku spun round the corner in her yellow bikini.

"Hey you didn't slip in this time Cids girl!" Gippal earned a small slap from Rikku, which almost made her slide on the wet floor.

A tap came on my shoulder, I turned to a pair of green and blue orbs.

Yuna turned on the shower next to me, her hair dampening blue bikini matching up with one of her eyes. Hitomi was in a sky blue one piece, Paine was wearing a grey bikini a large skull and cross bones on one of the cups. Vanille had a pinkish bikini that had a big fluffy sheep on the top. Fang had a bikini that had two bit of fabric that kriss crossed across her lower back. Christie was in her black piece that had the strings kriss crossing over the gap that lead almost from top to bottom.

"…Can we get in the pool yet?" Came a small voice from around the corner, Lightning was hidden away behind the wall.

"Aw!" Fang cooed "Come on Light don't need to be shy sweetheart!"

Lighting dropped further around the corner "No…" Was her stern reply.

Serah popped round from the corner Lightning's left arm seized in her grip "Oh please sis!" She tugged at her sisters arm in her frilly white number.

"No!" Lightning tried to pull her back but Serah held on tight.

Suddenly Lightning slipped out from behind her corner, she'd slipped in a puddle. She stood up, you could easily see she was cursing her sister for dragging her out from her corner. She was in this red bikini that was completely close on the chest though it snapped tight on the top of her chest. Lines of fabric went down her sides connecting the pants to the top. Lighting stormed past putting on one of the showers with a hard sight. Small kriss crossing strings ran up the back of the suit, it truly was something.

"Wow you're looking cute Light!" Lightning throw Snow a look that could kill a fully grown elephant at a thousand paces. "Did you get that for her Serah?" The younger sibling hopped in the shower next to him.

"Yup!" She chirped happily, Snow gave her a hug. I swear I heard Lightning growl.

We strolled along the edge of the pool the water lapping over the sides disappearing down the drainage drains. I dipped a finger in, and shivered. _The guy who sets the water temperature must have a white stick and a dog._

"Cold I take it?" Fang stood over me hands on her hips.

"Freezing." Something wet hit me in the face, then my shoulders, then my legs. My vision blurred I shot back up as the coldness gripped my chest. "COLD!" I surfaced quickly hugging myself.

Fang's laugh got cut off as another splash came from the side, Christie dusted off her hands.

"Well!" Bass's voice boomed out as Fang resurfaced a look of sheer shock on her face. "Since you two are so eager to start you can both do 30 lengths! Go on, get to it!"

The lengths dragged on. _30? Just for going into the pool early…well not really going into the pool willingly thanks to Fang but still._ I tried to ignore the growing pain in my arms, trying to set my mind on something else. The water started to become bluer and deeper, the pools bottom sunk away into the depth. Swimming became difficult, my strongest pull barely pushing me forward an inch. The caw of gulls from above as I pulled my head to the surface. The small pool had became the sea to me, my mind had spirited away taking me along for the ride. I plunged my head under, my heart beating to a very familiar rhythm. I saw nothing but a desert of blue, my mind painted all manner of vicious creatures just beyond the blue haze. I pulled up for breath, panicked I was dreading a certain symbol to slice up from the waters surface.

"DUN DUN DUUUUNNN!" I stormed full speed into the pool wall. My forehead throbbed from the impact, my skull splitting in two, I pushed to my feet hoping I was at the shallow end. "Oh god!" Hitomi quickly held me still, I was swaying. "You're bleeding! Help! He's bleeding! Max hang on we'll-" Hitomi's voice done a fade on me.

The shadows creeped into my eyes, jealous and twisted they blotted out pieces of the picture, turning it into one giant murky black roadshow. My head began to pound, a shrill white simmer screeching out from the corners of my brain. The world began to wobble a bit then fade, my legs might have well have been brittle pieces of spaghetti about to break. The simmering turned to a grinding, the grinding turned to a loud static. I heard the splash, wetness covering every inch of my body…before everything went numb and dark.


	6. White Mercury

(This is a dream phase just to stop anyone getting confused that's why everything is in _italics_ when the text returns to normal we are back in the main story. Basically I was getting a little bored of what I was doing so I had a little fun, and man was it fun! :D Can you guess what this might be based of off? Enjoy folks!)

Chapter 6: White Mercury

_The job was always bad, the pay wasn't much better either, the blizzard outside just added to it. The snow was falling thick outside, like confetti on the devil's parade. The apartment building was all sealed off already decorated with the blue mans yellow tape. She was already there, waiting for me on the doorstep._

"_Took your time didn't you!" Paine had never been the sort of girl to keep waiting._

"_Sorry, had to help some old woman across the street. So what have you got for me?"_

"_Double homicide. It's real messing up there. Sure you don't to wait for the cleaners to finish?"_

"_The more the merrier."_

_Paine had been joking, the place was a mess. Shattered furniture, heavy bloodstains, clothes matted on the floor, it was like a scene from a crime story only the director got a really kick out of six times more blood. The star of the show was huddled in a corner, heavy red stains showing through her clothes, her face once twisted in pain and fear now gone silent and peaceful like a porcelain doll._

"_Damn…you weren't kidding."_

"_You know I don't lie Max…"_

"_Yeah sure you do. Like poker on a Saturday day morning."_

"_You're never going to forget that are you?"_

_Don't let the games fool you. No matter how many times you saw it, you never got use to it. The corny one liners, jokes of poker it was our way of trying to shrug off the horrors our minds were keeping at bay. Trying and failing…_

_A couple of dirty foot printed lead to a nearby closet, the trails were old though, no chance of a boogie man popping out the closet. Inside the clothing and coats had been stripped down to make room for a single shoebox. I opened the damn thing, knowing if it was bobby trapped would cost us a man anyway. I felt my gut twist. The sick bastard that had done this hadn't been statisfied by just his main feature. No, he had decided the poor girl needed some more lead in her diet…sixty rounds of it. The more disturbing fact was he had found the time to neatly stack away the empty casings. Even provide us with the murder weapon and a letter._

'_**Regards of the Pel'**_

"_Not much we can tell from this. I'm gotta go step out, make a phone call."_

"_Whatever you say" She followed me out._

_The old stairs of the apartments lead down to an odd worn lobby, there was a pay phone I could use there. It was the same old same old, go upstairs and find nothing, then call in the heavy bookers._

"_Mmmm Hello?…" The sleepy voice was accompanied by banging in the background._

"_Hey it's me. Someone left us a gift, I need you over here."_

"_Aw…but it's two in the morning."_

"_That's just what is was thinking. 73 Dark Av, need you here as quick as you can."_

_The line went dead, either she's fallen back asleep or their power had outted out again. Rikku was a good kid, no a lot about everything and a ton about nothing. It didn't take her long to get there._

"_So." She yawned pyjamas hidden under some jeans and a coat "Suppose you got something for me?" I fetched a spare bullet casing from my pocket, what the cleaners didn't know wouldn't hurt them. "Well…that's strange" I saw her twitchy brother getting impatient._

"_What is?"_

"_The engravings on the shell suggest it was fired from a custom made barrel, a very badly conditioned one."_

"_So this was done part time, a very unprofessional professional."_

"_Maybe." Rikku passed me the shell back. "From what that things saying, this guy likes a short barrel with some customisation to it."_

"_Hired gun with a flare huh, got it."_

_The white mercury outside was falling faster, the great maw of the storm inching closer towards the city, engulfing us in its wrath. I knew the only place in the city someone could get a gun, better yet I knew the owner knew others. I followed the path, my memory plotting out the twist and turns on an overlay map of the city. The place was in a dirty ally, twitchy junkies sticking to the greasy shadows waiting for a likely victim to mug to get their daily dose running through their veins. The store itself wasn't much brighter than the junkies outside, the red neon sign barely able to illuminate any of the wording. The place was stuffy, the air filled with smoke mixed with gun powder, gun nuts talking gibberish of rounds and barrel lengths. I already didn't like the atmosphere, or the smug smile on the owners face as I approached the counter._

"_Maxy! Still using that old hunk of junk these days? How bought you let me give you a tune up?"_

"_No thanks she still shoots straight." Something was fishy, Nooj was never this friendly, I played it off pretending I didn't notice. "Was wondering if you could help me with something?"_

"_Of course! Anything to help out this cities finest!" The two gun nuts never the counter started gabbing, like they had some dirty secret to hide. I didn't like the way the atmosphere was going, too many twitchy goons and itchy trigger fingers._

"_Someone got a little trigger happy up in one of the apartments on Dark Av. Made it look all nice and shinny with a custom barrel, this is the only place someone could get those, figured hell you might know something."_

_Nooj's eyes twitched, it was the cue for the hired guns to break out the heavy hitters…I made like Chew Yon Fat. There's no plan to a shoot out and anyone that thinks so is a fool, it's just madness and luck, all you can do is hold on madly. It was all over in a New York moment. The smoke cleared, Nooj was dead, a dark red blot had kissed his skull with its silent lullaby. The hired goons had other orders, foul play was in the air…my only lead was dead. I raised back up to the surface the mercury still falling steadily, I made my way home. The answer machine beeped at my arrival._

"_Max it's me. Look I found something out on the case, I need you to meet me at Rosemery station. I can't say anymore." There was fear in her voice, an urgent unsettled tone rounding the whole thing off._

_Down in the dark corridors of the subway, something big was about to go down. The barreta stirred nervously under my coat, but the doors had already closed behind me and I was in for the ride, next stop Rosemery station and Paine. The platform was deserted, I felt my gut tighten as I searched for Paine._

"_Max, hey over here." The voice surprised me, Paine was stood on the other side of a barred off ticket booth._

"_Damn looks like I took a wrong turn somewhere."_

"_Not important! Look I found out the name of the guy, it was a hired hit by the Pel family! I've got enough evidence to land the whole lot of them in jail for life! Listen you've got to get a guy called Ba-" A gun shot rang out, she fell in slow motion._

"_Paine? PAINE!"_

_There was nothing I could do, Paine was dead…I could tell by the empty accusing look in her eyes. I didn't have time to think either, something cold and hard connected with my skull…the world went black._

I sat up my head aching. The haze began to settle my mind clearing, my skull ached.

"You're awake." Christie's cold yet gentle voice came from my left, the soft glow of a TV outlined her.

"Ow." I felt pathetic that, that was the only thing I could muster at that moment. Christie smiled, after a moment she put a hand on my shoulder and eased me back down into bed.

"You need your rest. Your body is still recovering" The smile she was giving made her seem to glow, where you asked yourself if she really did what she did for a living. "You've been out for two days." Her voice dropped to a whisper as someone somewhere fidgeted. "Go back to sleep…I'll watch over you." Christie placed a kiss on my cheek her eyes gently watching mine as she pulled away.

I closed my eyes, dropping quickly into a pleasant dream, the pain in my head subsided.


	7. The Colours of Light

(Next chapter for you guys and sorry it took so long, had trouble with writers block again. Anyway enjoy!)

Chapter 7: The Colours of Light

I gave one last heave my arms shaking from the weight, I rested the suitcase with all the others in the back of the bus. It was another one of those surprise fieldtrips that I didn't know about…I had a bad habit of missing the announcements. I followed the others onto the bus. Students fought for backseat rights, Cloud and Zack having a hair pulling tug of war over something. Rikku quickly stole the seat next to Yuna she blow a raspberry at me, Yuna shook her head. I searched around finding no free seats, the only one left was next to Lightning…who didn't look in a good mood. Tentatively I placed myself in the seat beside her, across the way Fang lifted an eyebrow.

"She's not going to bite." She turned to me closing over her book. "Well not hard anyway!" Fang shrugged smile arching into a smurk.

"So!" Hitomi popped up from behind Fang, Hope hopelessly trying to buckle his belt. "Where are we headed?"

"…That would be a surprise…" Auron stepped heavily up the stairs eyes peering over the rim of his glasses. Hitomi made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a whisper, slowly she sat back down in her seat…Hope stopped playing with his belt, it almost hit him in the eye when it retracted. "This isn't a free trip so no getting comfortable. Even though you're expected to enjoy yourselves-" _And here it comes the big spoiler! _"You are to plan and write a story for English." I heard a collective sigh from the bus, subconsciously I joined in.

The journey dragged on. Time had played the cruel trick of making ever second feel like an age. I rubbed my eyes for the fortieth time trying to take my mind of anything to do with travelling. The highway traffic sped past a pallet of different colours all a blur. Yuna and Rikku were pleasantly napping the two using each other as support. Behind them were Wakka and Lulu, Lulu was reading a book titled 'Of Autumn Embers' while Wakka was spinning a Blitzball on his lap. Gippal and Baralai were playing some sort of game each passing it to the other when their turn was over. Nooj had disappeared up back, you could just make out his hairstyle though. Snow was cradling Serah who had fallen asleep…Vanille was trying to put something in Snow's hair but was failing miserably. Fang had followed Lulu's example thoroughly enjoying being lost in the pages of her book 'Across the Sky'. Paine and Christie were talking about something the two occasionally laughing every so often. Hitomi was watching out the window as Hope reached over her to point things out to her, the two were having quite a bit of fun by the sound of things. Beside me Lightning watched ideally out of the window head propped up on her left fist. She sat there stoically eyes closing every so often to blink, her mind a million miles away. I decided to follow her, sitting back and closing my eyes…I let my mind wander. Something flumped next to me the sound of someone shifting there followed a loud zipping. I opened my left eye.

Lightning's eyes caught mine water bottle pressed against her lips. "Sorry." She offered as the bottle moved away from her now moist lips.

I opened my other eye "Nothing to be sorry about." Lightning raised her right eyebrow, a red people carrier travelled at the same speed as us some baby was going mental squirting his milk everywhere. I fought to keep the smile off my face.

"What's so funny?" Lightning gave me a stern look. I pointed out the window, Lightning turned just in time to see the baby bounce its bottle off of its fathers head. A heavily suppressed laugh escaped her. "That must have hurt!" Lightning managed out between chuckles.

"Lightning I'm surprised he kept the thing on the road!" I watched as the baby let loose a stuffed toy at his mother. Lightning covered her mouth her laughter calming.

"Light" She turned to me hands coming away from her mouth "My friends call me Light." She smiled at me

I stepped off the bus stretching my back seven hours of not being able to move around does that to you. We were somewhere in a wood, the trees around the area gently letting light spill in. The sunset lighting caught the tiles of the moderately sized building, thin slithers of steam rose from the back of the building. The atmosphere was peaceful almost heart lifting. I had always enjoyed going walking in the woods, I enjoyed the peace and quiet. The green leaves seemed to pull away any stress or worries I might had and I felt that the deeper I went into a wood…the lighter I got. Sometimes I had dreamt of living a quiet life in a wood somewhere away from most people, to have the sense of no worry every single day…but it was a dream, that's all it was…a dream.

"Right." Auron's calm voice demanded quiet, I struggled over with my heavy case my strength still not back at its peak. "As you can see we're at a bathhouse. The surrounding wood is off limits between 9pm and 6am this is for your own protection. There are male and female baths, no bathing in the opposite genders bath." I saw a lot of the guys get a small flash through their eyes…it hasn't hard to know what they were thinking about. "There are multiple baths and to note there is one shared bath for social purposes…nothing else."

I settled my suitcase down in the single room that was to be mine for a few days. The walls were a very dimmed light green the borders painted white. It was like a scene from a romance novel, the soft sunset shinning through the window onto a red rose as the room gave off a harmonious feeling. Outside the leaves on the trees swayed in the light breeze welcoming to outsiders such as myself. It was a small piece of heaven in an isolated part of the world, untouched and untainted. The padded floor was soft under my feet making me imagine I was waking on clouds. Though something caught my eye, a dress like garment lay over by my bed. The fabric was soft to the touch and smooth against my skin as I passed my palm over it. Without thinking I had changed my ordinary clothes for the robe though I put on a pair of pyjama bottoms on underneath. It was like wearing a bathroom robe but it felt a thousand times lighter and infinitely softer. Air breathed through the dark brown fibre's of the robe letting in air but keeping just enough heat to not become chilled. I smiled to myself cracking open the case to unpack my belongings. The sun began to dip down on the horizon.

The soft rays of the moon cast themselves down on the bathhouse, outside the music of the woods began playing its relaxing tune. The silent gentle breaths of wind rustling the leaves, small hoots of owls joined the chorus. CLACK! CLACK! The music stammered then faded replaced by a constant clacking. I slide my room door open just in time to see snow throw himself down the corridor in pursuit of a Ping-Pong ball. The small white ball flew back up the corridor quickly followed by Snow. Curious I followed.

"Did I get it?" Snow doubled over next to the table, he didn't notice Vanille had the ball in her hand.

"Nope!" Vanille shook her head smiling "Sorry Snow but I win!" She jumped on the spot, Snow straightened out he grinned messing Vanille's hair up…the young girl really didn't like that.

All the others were wearing the same robe I was, though the girls wore white and the guys wore brown. I felt stupid. I was standing just round a corner in the dark watching my friends play Ping-Pong. I had the old 'You don't belong' feeling that had plagued parts of my life…I felt real world syndrome coming on again. I had a fear of people…of being part of the crowd…of being judged harshly by others. But that's life…yeah…that's what all the people say! I slide down the wall and onto the floor as those dark little voices began to whisper lies to me.

"Good evening." I looked up, Fang looked down at me. Without another word she sat down with me next to the wall. "Now, I'm not going to ask why you're sitting here all by yourself in the dark over here. But what I will say is this." Fang looked at me with the small smile I had always seen her wearing since I met her. "No matter what people think of you, no matter what you might think other people think. You have friends." Fang turned her head looking at Yuna, Rikku and the others she looked back at me smiling "Good one's at that! Now!" Fang stood up pulling me up with her "Why don't we go have fun with them?" Fang pulled me over.

I watched as Rikku swung and hit thin air at Paine's serve, she laughed playing it off as having a sour shoulder. No one bothered, they all just laughed it off…not laughing at her but rather laughing with her. These were friends…these were true friends.

"MAX!" I was attacked by arms…big ones. "You have to help us! It's terrible!" Snow gave me a noogie and half carried half dragged me to the Ping-Pong table. I darted out holding my burning scalp "The girls are beating us!" Snow sort of floundered on the table, a chuckle escaped me the voices stopping.

"Maxie! We're kicking their hides!" Rikku jumped almost belting Hitomi on the jaw with her paddle.

"Max!" Yuna jumped forward excitedly "I challenge you!" She pointed at me smiling from ear to ear.

"Aaaahhh…" I put my arms in my sleves "I'ra accept your'a challenge young grasshoppa…" I bowed screwing up my eyes as I pretended to be an old wise Ping-Pong master, Yuna giggled.

Yuna stepped up setting up for the serve "Ready?" She asked, I nodded.

She served, I swung…and hit thin air while spinning round.

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Ur that was a tacticura miss!" I spoke like the old master again, Gippal was holding onto Baralai for support he was killing himself laughing.

The games went on, I was too busy enjoying myself to think about what time it was or how long we'd been playing. In the end it was 1 to the boys and a whooping 7 to the girls. The girls meaning Yuna, Rikku and Vanille were skipping round the table sing 'We won! We won!' in rhythm. After things calmed down a little we decided to take a bath in the Hot Springs. I felt a hot buzz as my leg sunk into the hot water, I felt a little naked with nothing but a towel around my waist. Rikku let out this huge relaxed sigh her head falling back onto the stone behind.

"Oh god! Remind me never to take a shower again!" Hitomi sunk deeper into the gorgeously warm spring.

Thin layers of steam hovered above the water, twirling they passed each other before raising up into the cool night air. The water lapsed itself against the number of bodies in its pool warmth seeping through their skin. Bubbles erupted from Gippal.

"GIPPAL!" I swear somewhere someone just heard that we had all shouted it that loud!

Gippal put his hands up in mock surrender "Sorry I couldn't hold it!" I watched as several bodies got up and made their way out of the hot spring. "Hey!" Gippal blinked "Hey wait!" He hopped out nearly tripping over his own two feet in the process. "Was it really that bad?"

I sighed sitting back, trying to wipe the half smile of my face. The noise drifted away steadily being replaced by the easing sounds of the evening. I looked up at the cloudless sky the stars twinkling down from space. It was the first time I had seen the stars in countless months…dare I say even years. The stars held something meaningful to me they were a gateway to anything and everything. Someone to listen, something to spend hours watching and a form of telling stories. But no matter how many times I saw the stars, their beauty always took my breath away. I heard the water shifted to my right, I turned seeing Lighting still sitting in the spring eyes watching the stars. Gentle a small tune drifted over to my ears Lightning's gentle voice singing a small tune to herself. I listened as she sung voice gentle, notes soft and tranquil. The song stopped a brief moment passed the only sound was of the water lapsing.

"…Sorry, I thought I had the spring to myself." Lightning's cheeks pinkened.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your singing." I sunk a little below the waters surface. _You really shouldn't have been listening._

A moment of silence passed "It's ok…" Lightning just sat staring up at the stars. Silence set in again, I felt my heart beat nervously. I felt the water shift I saw Lightning turn her head towards me her face a mixture of sorrow and confusion. "C-can I ask you something?" She watched me mouth slightly open.

I sat straight eyes watching Lightning's "Yes, of course you can." Something wasn't right.

A moment of silence pasted as Lightning shifted a little, she sat up straight nervously tugging at her towel. I noticed the bathing suit underneath…which none of the other girls had worn.

"Do…do you ever feel like you've not done enough? That if you changed the way you acted back then things would have been different?" Lightning sat there as still as a fine statue eyes peering into the water.

"For…" I reached somewhere deep knowing that she was generally in distress. "To be honest…I can't remember a time were there wasn't a time I wanted to go home. That all I could think of was running away from all my problems." Lightning looked up from the water and at me. "I lost a lot of my trust in people from when I was small. I got hurt a lot by others and pulled down the curtain on everything…bottling up all my feelings. I walked through my highschool a blank void never really able to show any sort of emotion to another human being. Something I had developed to defend myself…became something I came to regret." I looked down at my reflection in the water, for some strange reason I chuckled. "Did I want to go home back then? Yes. Would I want to change that moment in time? No." I looked back at Lightning. "Those moments made me who I am today. If I had acted differently I may have been a complete different person. I wouldn't have came to this school, I wouldn't have met such wonderful people…" _And I wouldn't have met __**her**_. "No matter how much we might want to change the past…we can't. The past is the past, it's set in stone. No matter how much we want to go back and change things we can't. We just have to keep going, putting one foot in front of the other. Don't dwell so heavily on past mistakes…no one is perfect – and as long as you can learn from any mistakes we make as a person…then we can lessen the chance of making that mistake again in the future."

Lightning squirmed a little "…I always thought if I had done a little bit more for Serah. If I had acted more like a sister than a mother…" She paused, her face twisting with pain, tears threatening her composure. "Then maybe Serah would be happy!" The waters surface broke as a tear rolled off Lightning's cheek.

I moved over to Lightning putting an arm around her shoulders, she placed her head on my shoulder welcoming any comfort given.

"Your sister is happy. She has a big sister that loves and takes care of her!" Lightning looked up at me, her blue eyes tainted lightly red. "I won't ask what happened, but someone said to me a long time ago. 'As long as you do what you think is right, you can never go too wrong.' If you hadn't have did what you had to do Light, then things might have been a lot worse than what you think. Your sister loves you."

"Thank you." Lightning sniffed, she moved away hands drying her eyes. "I know that now." We sat there smiling at each other.

_**Living for tomorrow, one step at a time.**_


	8. Let the Words Flow

(I tried something a little different in this chapter, I was really hard up on ideas so I just decided to let things flow and this is what I got! I think it drags a little at the end but it is getting late and I've not had much sleep :P So apoligizes for that! Anyway folks read and enjoy! I'm off to bed! :D)

Chapter 8: Let the Words Flow

_**The lone flats scratched on…the loneliest place on earth. Bu-**_

_Ah screw it._ I collapsed onto my back, again I had hit it. Again I had hit that block. I sighed trying to focus my mind back on writing the story. I lay there my thoughts blank as if all my creativity had fallen into a black hole. The thought of writing hung there like a hung man, daunting and with no lack of compassion. Minutes etched themselves into my head as the mental countdown ticked down each passing second. I turned my head seeing how some of the others were coping. I shrunk when I saw them all hard at work, not a single one toiling. Where had I gone wrong? Last year I had no trouble coming up with stories…but now I was toiling to even start and toiling even more to carry on. I felt like I was a writer who hadn't written a word in two years, who was all dried up. The soft glow from the lamp in our room caught my eye. The light sat happily pulsing slightly, I found myself staring at it thoughts drifting a little. I watched as the shadows passed back a forth between the corners of the wall, constantly locked in a never-ending struggle with the light. The borders of the two began to take on a very different form. Shields clashed as the two armies pushed and bite at each other with sword and metal. They pushed against each other thousands behind them as Black and White armours fell. And as soon as the battle had began, it stopped…the light bulb grew dim then faded. White knights fell as the dark army rushed in showing no mercy to the fallen. The City of Light sat on the horizon the dark army pushed nearing its gates. The people began to flee their homes running around in a panic. The gate guards fell, the gates fell…the city had fallen. It happened in slow motion, houses began to burn, villagers were cut down in the street slaughtered like animals. I watched as a lone white knight tried in vain to fend off the attackers. He swung as them striking his foes down as they rushed clumsily into the square. An arrow pierced his shoulder tearing through his armour, he paused sword held high parts of the army pooling past him. He caught his breath punching one of the enemy black knights as he rushed in on him. He struck another his sword breaking his enemy helm and skull in half…but his valiant stand ended. A sword pierced through his chest from behind, then another stabbed him from the front. The brave knight fell as the cowards withdrew their swords hurrying on to take the city for themselves. The city walls burned that night…

I blinked the burning city vanishing before me. The room now sat in darkness the light of the moon barely coming through the window. I thought how the shadows took a very different form what they had been. I you let them they could be a blank canvass…but…they could also be the stuff of nightmares. The shadows play tricks on us, why else would children screw their eyes shut so they don't see monsters? Because if you let it the night can be where all the bad things live. How many times have you heard or saw something after watching a horror movie? Our imagination can turn the shadows into true monsters when we least expect it. In a horror story the victim keeps asking "why?" but there can be no explanation, and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest, and it's what we'll remember in the end.

A loud snap made me jump, Snow sat looking at his broken pencil. "Uh…whoops!" He rubbed the back of his neck. Fang gave an aspirated sigh.

"Great! Now I can't think of anything…" She threw her writing pad down in frustration and lay back. Fang wasn't the only one.

"Why don't we all tell a story?" Everyone looked at Yuna. "Someone starts of the story then everyone else adds to it."

"Sounds like it could be fun" Christie moved out of her corner of the room "So who's going to start?"

"ME!" Rikku and Vanille's arms shoot up almost knocking Paine out who was sat in-between them, she managed to duck in time…barely. The stalemate was ended by Rikku winning at a game of rock, paper, scissors.

_Once apon a time in the magical land of Spira there lived a stupid king named Brother. Who was so stupid that he wore a pumpkin for a crown and all his subjects threw coconuts at him._

"_WHY!" The king asked himself "WHY DO MY SUBJECT THROW THINGS AT ME?" King Brother looked up at the pumpkin on his head, which was also a magical pumpkin that could speak. "WHY DO PEOPLE THINK I AM STUPID?"_

"_I don't know the answer to that my dear king because I am just some magical vegetable you carved out an placed on your head." King Brother rubbed his chin trying to make it look like he was thinking._

"_I KNOW!" King Brother shot up from his throne "I WILL MAKE A TIME MACHINE! WHAT DO YOU THINK PUMPKIN?" But unknown to Brother the magical pumpkin that also doubled as his crown had slipped from his head and smashed on the floor. "NO! PUMPKIN!" King Brother wailed but soon forgot about the pumpkin as he had a new time machine to play with._

Rikku turned to a madly giggling Vanille "Your turn Vanille!" The younger girl wiped her eyes trying to compose herself.

_And so with King Brothers new time machine he hopped about different time periods trying to become smarter. But as King Brother wasn't the smartest person he ended up losing his time machine and became stuck in a time even older and more stranger than his own._

"_What is this place?" King Brother asked aloud_.

"King Brother doesn't talk normally he shouts all the time!" Rikku pouted

"_WHAT IS THIS PLACE?" King Brother shouted from the top of a golden statue in the main square. Suddenly a shoe flew at King Brother that hit him in the face and he fell from the statue. Luckily another magical pumpkin was there to break King Brother's fall though he got his head stuck in the pumpkin._

"Yevon…this is turning into a half retarded fanfiction…" Paine crossed her arms.

Vanille's smile drooped "What's wrong with my story?" She sounded close to tears.

"There's nothing wrong with it Vanille!" Paine sort of frowned at me as if to say 'Don't encourage her'. "Its just King Brother isn't the smartest of characters. I bet you could tell a wonderful story!"

Yuna giggled cutely "Maybe this wasn't the best idea." Lightning yawned, it was one in the morning.

"But Yunie! We need to finish the story!" Rikku pulled on Yuna's pyjama bottoms. Gippal suddenly cleared his throat.

_But little did King Brother know was that the king of the city he had teleported into had sent his guards to arrest him. Without a word they subdued the stupid king and dragged him away to meet the king._

"_So." Brother was let loose near a rather deep hole, a tall bearded man stepped out from the crowd. "I suggest you speak your peace quickly my friend before something bad happens here."_

_Being the stupid king that Brother was he puffed up his chest and cried "I AM KING OF THIS CITY NOW!" He instently gained a sword to the throat from the true king. "YOU GOING TO KILL KING? THIS IS MADNESS!"_

Paine, Lulu and Baralai all shook their heads as Gippal, Wakka and Tidus looked at each other smiling.

"_Madness?…THIS IS SPARTA!"_ The three boys finished with the signature kick.

A moment of silence hung in the air, Lulu was first to break it.

"Well…I think it's time I headed off to bed" She stood up dusting off her robe. "Goodnight everyone, thank you very much for the story." Wakka jolted quickly to his feet following Lulu out of the room.

"We'll see you all tomorrow ya!" The two left going back to their rooms.

My legs had fallen asleep, I started shaking them around to try and wake them up. Yuna was busy bidding everyone goodnight to notice me shuffling across the room on my bottom. Before I reached the door something stopped me dead in my tracks, Yuna had stuck a leg out behind me.

"And were do you think you're going like that?" She smiled sweetly coming down to my level.

I rubbed the back of my neck feeling insanely stupid "Well…uh…my legs sort of fell asleep and we're not suppose to be sharing rooms." Yuna giggled then touched my left leg, the pins and needles feeling was gone.

"Better?" Her eyes glittered.

I stretched my legs, they were back to normal. I stood up my legs still holding. "Thank you Yuna" She done this cute little shoulder thing as if to say 'No problem'. I stepped outside into the hall Yuna closing the slide door behind me.

I walked back to my room, slipping under the covers I closed my eyes and let me thoughts wander. In a horror story the character keeps asking why…but in a love story does the character keep asking when…or who?


	9. Hito

(Special thanks to the people who are always spirring me on :) You guys are awesome! Oh and sorry this one is a little short but I got a surprise! Two chapters for you lovely people :D So read and enjoy and I'll have the next one up really really soon XD Till then guys!)

Hito

I struggled under the covers, dark ghostly shapes haunted my dreams. I sat up covered in a cold sweat, this nightmare had shaken me even by my standards. The images lingered hazy shadows painting out parts of the nightmare again. The shadows inside my room grew thicker and more menacing, I had to get out, clear my head. I stumbled out into the hallway closing the door behind me. The hallway light up as a strike of lightning flashed somewhere over the woods. The pitter pattering of rain echoed down from the tile roof, it gave me small piece of mind…if any. I slowly made my way to the main area, I know there would be a place to sit there and a quiet place to watch the rain. Gentle breaths flowed out from under doorways, I tried to imagine what people were dreaming about as I passed their rooms.

Yuna would probably be dreaming about some far off place, that would be so beautiful that if you tried to describe it words would fail you. Rikku would be on a sunny beach having fun in the clear waters and perfect landscape. Paine, she'd like somewhere quiet like the foggy peak of a mountain or the relaxed and somehow magical air of the woods. I tried not to chuckle as I imagined Paine sprouting fox ears and a tail, the thought just seemed adorable to me. Lulu for some reason I saw dreaming of a library but one filled with books of magic and lost arts with so many secrets waiting to be found. Wakka and Tidus were no brainers…they'd be dreaming about Blitzball. Gippal was another…he'd be dreaming about picking up girls…probably on a beach. Baralai, I saw him dreaming of flying, soaring over snowy mountaintops down to the clear rivers of ancient forests. Christie was hard to place, maybe she was dreaming of somewhere she could be happy and safe. Nooj I didn't want to bare thought about…probably dreaming about bleeding out on some beach with machineguns blaring overhead. 30 SECONDS! I laughed a bit when I saw Gippal climbing over the side of the boat shouting:

'EVERY GOOD LOOKING MAN FOR THEMSELVES!'

But again there was that sinking feeling…even though the thought would probably make others laugh…it had been a real war. Real people had died in that war…I was a sinking feeling when you stood still and really thought about it. Wife's and Daughter's getting letters telling them their Husbands, Sons and Brothers aren't coming home. But war has been waged here as well…some carry the scars to prove it. My toe connected with a table leg, I jumped back pain shooting through my foot. It was a wake up reminder…well the one that says 'Hey mister broody, wake up! You're going to wake through a pain of glass and out into a thunderstorm!'

"Are you alright?" I felt the hand on my shoulder before the light voice tickled my ears. I turned to a concerned looking Hitomi.

"I'm fine." I rubbed the back of my neck…but something in the back of my mind clicked when I saw the coffee mug on the coffee table. "Everything ok? I've never really heard of you getting up in the middle of the night."

Hitomi sort of shuffled a little "I couldn't sleep…" She paused for a second watching the rainfall. After a few seconds she looked at me eyes' darting away shyly "Ayane and Kasumi were having an argument again. Something stupid like who's going to be Hayates dancing partner for some stupid dance or something."

The thought played out a funny reel of Ayane and Kasumi pulling on Hayates arms before throwing cream pies at each other. I chuckled at the thought, it wasn't hard to picture the two half sisters from going that far.

"Listen…um" Hitomi's voice shuddered, her hands playing with their fingers. "About last year…" Her eyes dropped to the floor avoiding mine, her legs starting to fidget as she shifted her weight from one to another. "I…I'm…I'm sorry about how I acted. I-I shouldn't have said any of those things to any of you…It was…wrong…what I did."

"…It's ok." I smiled, Hitomi looked up at me in surprise.

"B-but I!"

"People make mistakes Hitomi, you just happened to fall in with the wrong people is all." Hitomi smiled slightly "If it weren't for you, I'd have probably never been able to fit in here. You're the first friend I made here Hitomi…and I don't give up on my friends!"

Hitomi smiled brightly small tears welling in her eyes, she put out her pinkie "Friends till the end then?" I took her pinkie with mine.

"Friends till the end!"

After that we stayed up all night talking about anything that came to mind. Random things, dreams, the rain, experiences, just about anything that came to mind.

The bus rolled on, Wakka's voice rolling in and out of focus. I bit my tongue trying to stay awake. Wakka was going on about the recent Bliztball game. To be honest I only caught parts here and there, my brain just couldn't take any of it in.

"Hey! Sleepy head!" Tidus shook me from behind the seat "It's not time for bedy byes! It's time for man talk!"

"When was talking about Blitzball man talk?" Paine's comment caused Lulu to almost lose it.

"Uh since these two were suppose to be watching the worlds biggest Blitzball match ever ya!" Wakka waved his arms in protest earning a small amused smile for Lulu.

"I don't even know how…to…play Blitzball" I smiled like an idiot having no idea what I had just said, my brain just wasn't processing anything. I even had to think really hard to try and speak.

Tidus gave a gasp his hands slammed down on my shoulders "My friends! We need to show this shams of a man how to live! To the pool!"

"…We're on a bus you idiot…" Paine hide her face. Tidus just blinked stupidly, didn't all buses come with Blitz practice pools?

"First place these two are going is to bed." Lulu frowned as she saw Hitomi conked out by the window, a long strand of drool coming down her cheek. "Well…one seems to have started early." She shook her head, the surprisingly quickly switched places to the empty seat beside me. "Goodnight in that case."

Lulu clicked her fingers and a small grey cloud of dust exploded from between her fingers. Before I knew what hit me my head had fallen back against the chair and I was out cold.


	10. Team What

(As promised folks heres the next chapter :D Now I'm going to go lie down - , -)

Team What?

The snowy scenery of a harbour town, high snowy mountain peaks the relaxing ocean air…it all wouldn't matter in about 30 seconds anyway. The planes flew overhead, parachutes deploying as troops glided to the landing zone. My boots hit the ground, my chute severed…Snow muffled as he went head long into the branches of the trees.

"Gah!" He pushed a branch away from his face as he spat out some unwanted snow from his mouth. "I really hope that wasn't yellow snow!"

As if on cue Gippal came flying into one of the near by trees while clutched on Nooj, who had been trying to kick him off. I went over to help as Snow cut himself free, I could tell by the giant plop that came about 10 seconds later. Gippal and Nooj appeared from between the thick branches, Gippal was laughing his heart out as Nooj struggled to get a branch out of the tangled mess that was his hair.

"Oh that was a grade A landing there Noojie woogie!" Nooj muttered something under his breath. Gippal finally noticed me…then burst out laughing.

"HUMAN BUSH ATTACK!" Lai screamed as he floored me coming down on his chute he was quickly followed by Vanille, who had decided to join in 'Kill the human bush' aka kill the sniper.

"So what exactly do we have to do?" Snow came over dusting himself off.

"We gotta blow up some stations!" Vanille jumped on the spot snow crunching under her boots as she did. Everyone looked at her blankly…Vanille had actually remembered what she was doing. "Or was it to stop them from blowing up stations…I can't remember…" She pouted taking up her thinking pose, a minute passed. "Oh yeah!" Vanille pulled out her shotgun and lowered it at us "Stop the boys from blowing up our stations! That was it!"

"WRONG TEAM! RUN!" Gippal was half way through his own suggestion as he ran and threw himself over the steep edge of the cliff.

I followed suit with the others leaping over the cliff to try and save myself, sharp bits of flying lead skittering past as Vanille unloaded on us. Unfortunately we had forgotten one very basic thing…yeah…parachutes. I hit the ground pain sheering up my legs as I heard bone give way and vital organs taking up residence in my feet. Baralai stumbled over nursing his back.

"You ok?" He asked over the random roaring of gunfire in the area.

"…2 secs…spleen in shoes…" That was my cue to fall over like a statue.

"Hey!" The voice came from the building from the right, an assault class with brown hair sticking out of his helm was jumping around trying to get our attention. "You might not want to stay there!"

Baralai raised an eyebrow "And why is t-" A rocket flew over head just skimming the visor his engineer helmet as it passed. Lai grabbed my collar, how he found it under the ghillie suit I'll never know "Point taken!" He dragged me to the building as the building across the street light up with gunfire.

"What's wrong with your friend?" The assault asked as he squeezed off a burst round the corner of the building to give us some cover.

"He jumped from the cliff. Says his spleens in his shoes now" Baralai put simply, I gave him the 'don't talk as if I wasn't here' look.

"Really?" The guy jumped sounding excited "That's awesome! You guys play this game a lot?" We shook our heads…well Baralai shook his head I sort of gave something between a shook and a 'I'm going to die in a second' nod.

The side of the house we were taking cover behind blow out, the assault guy scampered away from the gapping hole as a hail of gunfire followed. Baralai quickly tapped me.

"Can you walk? We need to get out of here!" He fired a clipped off over my head…the next grenade would take another part of the wall and me with it.

I tried moving my legs…nothing. "I'm not going anyway Lai. Can't feel anything from the waist down." Baralai sighed grabbing me behind the collar again. "What the heck are you doing?" He started to pulled me away from the corner.

"Getting you out of here! Just pretend you're playing Army of Two ok!"

I put on my best Elliot Salam voice "Sure thing Rios!" I held my rifle up so I could shoot at anyone that could come round the now getting further away corner.

"Hey no way! I'm Salam you're Rios!" Baralai laughed pulling me through the snow.

The assault guy looked at us facial expression blocked out by his dark blue balaclava "Can I be Rios?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah! Max can be that crazy russian guy!" I spotted someone peep round part of the rumble of the corner, I switched to my pistol as they came fully out lowering their assault rifle at all three of us.

"FOR MOTHER RUSSIA!" I screamed firing every shot I had at the oppenent, Baralai seemed to laugh even harder I swear I could hear the person I shot at laughing as well.

**Somewhere on the map…**

Baralai pushed the buildings door open, carefully he checked each room for any enemies. A tense moment passed as he came outside to drag me up the small flight of stone stairs into the house. The wooden floor was a welcome relief on my part…sitting in freezing cold snow for a while makes your backside go numb.

"So this the place?" Baralai whispered to the Assault guy. He looked down at his map.

"Yeah, collection point is right here."

_Whisky four five this is Alpha two, casavac has been overrun by enemy sniper fire, abandoning position over._

_Roger that Whisky four five get out of there._

"Alpha two this is Stalker four, where are you taking fire from over." Before I had come to my senses I had already let go off the radio button.

_Stalker four we are taking fire fro-_ The radio went dead, the house around me became white wireframe, my clothes and weapon began to disintegrate to the white VR suit. I blinked the sharp whiteness of the room burning my eyes…the lights went out. Something groaned, I stood up my legs functioning properly without the suits influence. Metal groaned as a soft light pooled into the small room.

"Max?" Yuna's voice called concerned, I moved into the light she was still in her VR suit, Snow was holding the door open. "Oh thank Yevon your safe!" She raised a hand to her mouth.

"What's going on? What's up with the lights?" I stepped outside the room so Snow didn't have to worry about holding the door anymore.

Yuna moved away from the door as it gently slid back into place "I don't know…" She looked around the torchlight picking out concern in her features. A banging came from out right, I could just make out Rikku's muffled voice behind out.

Snow shot over still suited up "Max grab a end and give me a hand with this!" I seized the side of the door. _Damn I hate the dark…_


	11. Blackout from Starlight

(Very big thanks to jakelovesyuna :) Who is always giving me the encouragement to work on this, thank you so much! ^^ Now, on with the chapter! :D Enjoy, hope its worth that wait jake! But as for me, it's off to bed because I'm knackered )

Blackout from Starlight

The dark has always inspired fear, long shadows painting in unheard of horrors. I paused the long darkness of the dormitory corridors stretching out in front of us…was that a sound just now? Something light and soft touched my forearm.

"What's wrong?" Lulu stood beside me torch in hand, I felt a light safer. "Ah…" Lulu's normal expression softened to a gentle understanding smile "I see." Lulu linked her left arm with right "See? Now there's nothing to be afraid of…I'm right here. But if you're still scared, just close your eyes and I'll guide you." Lulu started walking again, my fear loosened its grip on me.

I couldn't explain it. My fear of the dark always seemed to come and go. Sometimes I could face the dark without a single fearful thought, while other times I became tense and uncomfortable. The dark was a blank canvas and with my overactive imagination my brain just ran riot! I'd see things out of the corner of my eye, feel eyes on me and always feel a dark presence whenever my fear played. The dark could take on such a monstrous form that it would force me under the covers to feel just a little safer. It's funny to think…that the place we feel safest…is also the darkest. I can understand pulling the covers over your head from hearing a strange noise, but the being afraid of the dark part…it made no sense when you thought about it. I waved away the pestering thought as I side stepped a shadow cast by the torchlight. You'll be surprised how different everything was in the dark, the usual white drab walls replaced with a shimmering black. I felt a small ping of uncertainty as Yuna turned the key in our dormitory door. We had ran into Auron on our way out of the VR suite and had been told to go back to our rooms immediately.

Lulu let me pass the doorframe as her and Wakka stood outside the door. Lightning, Gippal, Snow, Tidus, Nooj, Baralai, Rikku, Hitomi, Paine, Hope, Vanille and Serah had all gone back to their rooms…Yuna had been dragged into Rikku's room before she could get a word in.

"It's against the rules to stay by yourself…" Lulu shone the torchlight on a lamp as I darted over to it desperate to get some light.

With a click the bulb sat dark I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "I just need to get out of the corridor! Come on work!" I tried the light on my computer desk only to get nothing from it.

"Well you're defiantly not staying in here alone." The voice chimed as light flooded into the room from the doorway. Christie stood next to the doorframe a gentle look on her face as she read my relaxing actions to the light. She looked round at Lulu and Wakka "Don't worry I'll stay with him."

It looked enough for Lulu as she gave this look to Wakka, who by all means looked confused with the current turn of events. Lulu nudged him in the ribs as she gave an understanding nod to Christie, without another word the pair left Wakka giving a little wave as Lulu pulled him away from the door. The lock on the door fell into place as Christie elegantly turned the key behind her back, a small playful smile playing her lips.

"So." She put as she went over to the small area around the couch "Now that we're alone…" She placed the lamp down on the coffee table, I felt my checks redden in shades as she made herself comfy on the couch. "Why don't we take a chance to catch up?" The sentence had blindsided me, I felt the gears in my head grind to a halt.

"Y-yeah" Was all I managed to stammer out as the engineers in my brain hit the emergency power. I rubbed the back of my neck the warmth in my cheeks starting to subside.

Christie raised an eyebrow a playful smile gracing her lips. "You weren't…think about something _naughty_ were you?" She purred eyes looking on me, I felt the heat of the sun burn from my cheeks and across my nose.

"N-n-no! I wasn't! I-I" I felt about ready to pass out from the heat coming from my cheeks. Is that even possible?

Christie chuckled "Relax!" She pulled her left leg up to her chest wrapping her arms round them. "I'm just teasing!" She smiled. Suddenly Christie stood up, she came over to the wall where I was. "But…" She purred voice playing on husky with her sexy and smooth British accent. "That doesn't me I'm still not interested." Christie wrapped her arms around my neck flattening herself out on me, lips hovering beside my ears her warm breath on my neck. "And I'm still very _very_, _Interested" _She blow in my ear lips purposely dragging across my neck as she pulled away.

"Mafmaf" Now my mouth wouldn't even work! My tongue had tied itself in so many notes it would have put twister to shame. Christie's light touch came to my chin as she gently eased my eyes up from ground level to her own.

"And that wasn't a tease." She smiled eyes glittering from the low light in the room. She closed the distance between us again, though this time she touched her lips against mine. My heart almost melted, skin about to set ablaze from the heat of my cheeks. I heard Christie give a muffled chuckle as the fingers on her left hand glided over my left cheek. She pulled away "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Christie blushed pulling me into a hug, I hugged her back I really had missed her.

"I've been trying to find a chance to talk to you. But the times just never seemed right" Christie's nose brushed up my neck I felt her exhale a small light breath through her nose. "So many new people and Yuna's been wanting your attention." A small look of concern suddenly played her features. "I don't remember you being afraid of the dark…" She raised an eyebrow.

I had completely forgotten about the long shadows creeping at the edges of the light…they had seemed so unimportant in till just now.

"I…" I struggled to find the right way of saying it, the mere thought embarrassed me. "I-I…" Christie watched me I took a breath starting again. "I've been having these nightmares…that this thing, this presence keeps following me. It's like something is hunting me but I'm always a fraction of a step ahead of it." The mental image came back, still holding the same amount of fear it held back when it first emerged. "I'm in this castle, something happens and this force finds me…I hide in a closet. And while I'm hiding…it…it hides me. Outside it starts getting dark, something starts to breathe. I try to get out but something has wrapped itself around the closet, this thing outside starts making these horrific noises." The images start to paint in, the room starts to become the closet Christie starts to fade. But this warm touch quickly comes to my cheek, the room comes back, the shadows take on their less frightening form…Christie smiles at me.

"There just nightmares." Her hand coerces my cheek her eyes glittering at me like the cold Arctic Ocean. "I have them too. We all do. And sometimes they stay with us for a while, but in the end they're just dreams. They can't hurt anyone." Christie quickly looked over her shoulder towards the window that lead out to the balcony. "Come on I'll show you a little something."

I followed Christie, as we passed the couch she dumped her leather jacket her white tanktop shinning slightly in the light. She clicked the lamp off as we passed, as she slide the balcony glass door open the shadows retained their form. The night sky opened up before me, shinny above our heads were the stars without a care in the world.

"See?" Christie smiled gentle at me. "No matter where you are, the star will always light your way." She pointed up towards the sky, the stars seemed to shine brighter as she did.

The ghost relased me, the fear burnt away. "Thanks Christie." I felt my heart skip a beat as I smiled at her, my love for her growing.

She looked down at her feet a small closed mouth chuckled emitting from her as she pushed back a part of her fringe. "There's another thing." She blushed eyes settling on mines again. "Third star from the left." I looked for it, Christie chuckled again she put her hands on the side of my face. Her eyes twinkled in the starlight "Third star from the left…and straight on till morning." She kissed me deeply.

_**Against the Dark**_

_August 25__th_

_The Edge of Willowed Forest_

_The heavy rain poured down outside wetting the already waterlogged mud. Houses stood in deathly silence most had fled…while the brave few remained. Daughter, Wife and Sons bid their Fathers' farewell as horse, couch or foot took them to safety. The men prepared…stakes and crosses less than amble shields for the horrific shadows that lurked in the forest…watching, waiting. A brave few woman stay behind, their blades hungering for revenge for fallen loved ones. Holy men are certain they're god will protect them, they bless those who fear their own weakness and forgive the cowards that flee. The brave few barricade the great wooden gates to the forest, we cannot get out, rain soaking through their skin…they are coming._

_We stand in silence now. Every ear peaked for that dreadful noise…the noise that haunts our dreams. All we can do is wait…wait to meet our fate. And that dreadful noise sounds itself, the howling of those hungry beasts. Even the most experienced warrior among us is torn by fear, her eyes glassing over slightly by fear as she grips her sword tight. The tavern door bursts open, one of our scouts staggers through body torn asunder._

"_West!" The young boy coughs "They come from the west!" Our priestess pulls the boy closer to her his blonder hair parting in her fingertips._

_Our brave few pour out of the tavern each armed with whatever they could carry. Wooden boards, chair legs, blacksmiths tongs we are no warriors…few among us are. Our other scout is there his eyes ablaze with terror as jet black claws reach for him between the wood. We fight back the claws as best we can, the growls behind the great gates lower to snarls. They climb the gates…monstrous forms silhouetted against the full moon, their howls chilling our brave few to their very souls. All hope is lost. But a shadow passes among us, a gleam of righteous silver reflected in the moonlight. Their face is hidden under the darkness of a hood, their form obscured by the formless swaying of a black robe. The silver scythe hangs on their shoulder…as if death himself had joined our plight against the dark ones._

_The stranger stood as if waiting for something, the dark ones bared teeth and claw before losing patience with the display and rushed in. Our brave few raise their makeshift arms as the desperate battle between man and beast commences. The puddles of rain run red with the blood of brave men, women and beast a like. The stranger slaughters all beasts in their path defending the wounded or fallen, like an angel of death they dance to the bloody cries in the night._

Warmth started building around my torso and legs, something soft touched my cheek. My eyes eased open Yuna coming into focus, it took a second or two for her to notice I was awake. She let go of the cover she was placing on the couch.

"Hi" She gave sweetly, I tried shifting but a weight was holding me down. Christie squirmed letting out an adorable sound as she got comfy again. "We thought we would just let the two of you sleep." She smiled at me sweetly almost understanding.

Cookie crumbles slide down from the side of the couch, Rikku was munching on a cookie along with Vanille.

"They're sooo coot togother!" Vanille managed through a mouthful of cookie.

"Wuv ah furst shight!" Rikku wasn't any better off at talking with a mouthful of cookie.

The cover suddenly lifted "Hmmm" I looked up to Fang who was gradually lifting the covers up "Wonder if they're naked under there?"

A pale arm shot up grabbing Fang by her coller.

"I'm still awake you know…" Christie lifted her head hair a mess "Meaning I can tell when your lifting away my secondary heat source." Fang beamed at her grin threatening to burst the sides of her mouth.

"Well good morning sunshine! Enjoy your little nap?" Christie still held her collar then sat up on top of.

"I was in till you ruined it…" She yawned finally releasing Fang, the warrior woman kept her footing as the assassin sneaked in a push. "I see the power still isn't back on" I shuffled upright so I could sit on the couch.

"Oh" Yuna gave timidly "There was an accident on setting up the lights for the Halloween dance. When they were setting up they caused a power surge that knocked out the campuses generators." Fang, Christie and I all blinked at Yuna, the whole sentence not making much sense. Yuna blushed looking down.

"So when is this dance?" Paine sat on the floor with the others, they were all blotted around the room.

"Tomorrow night. We've got our stories to hand in to our new English Teacher as well." Baralai rested his head against the light sandy shade of wallpaper.

"Wait, tomorrow isn't Halloween though." I had started counting down the days in my head, it didn't add up.

"The dance is for students that might not be attending or unable to attend the Halloween Party on the 31st." Lulu put my mental calendar straight. "On the subject of Halloween…does anyone want to share what they're afraid of?" There was silence for a second.

"Spiders." Baralai paused for a sec "And women…oh and spider women!" Gippal and Nooj were the only two to laugh, Nooj got a hard kick from a slightly miffed Lightning.

"The open ocean." Wakka rubbed the back of his neck "It's just creepy to think that something might be lurking below you ya! Getting ready to strike and all ya."

"Leblanc on her period…" Nooj put simply, everyone understood.

Tidus put a finger to his chin "Letting all the fans down at a Blitzball game."

"Not being able to see Yunie again" Rikku nibbled on her cookie Yuna smiled at her.

Lightning stood stoically "…Failing to protect my little sister." Serah and her shared this little look between each other, something only the two sisters got.

"Spiders." Serah shivered at the thought of them.

"Heh! Hero's aren't afraid of anything!" Serah slapped Snow's arm "Oh alright…clowns."

"CLOWNS GIVE ME NIGHTMARES!" Vanillie quickly wrapped Yuna's bed covers around her head.

"Sharks." Hope put forward quietly, I had a fair idea what had caused that fear as well.

"Being buried alive." Christie rubbed her shoulder a little.

"Falling of a cliff." Fang perched herself on the couch

"Ghosts." Paine paled a little.

"The feeling someone is watching you when no ones around." Lulu hadn't looked the type to be spooked by that eerie feeling, I had always imagined her walking around in a haunted mansion quiet comfortably.

Yuna rocked a little in her knees "Not being able to help the ones I love." She looked down at the floor "Or more likely…losing someone I really care about."

"Begin alone in the dark…" I still felt the little spark of fear, Christie gave a small smile from the corner of my eye. _But I'm not alone, not anymore._


	12. Dance your Heart Out

(Right so heres the next chapter for you folks. Again apologizes for the very late update been having trouble with writers block and sitting down to write this has been a real pain. So I'm very sorry if it appears broken up in certin places as I've been on and off a lot for this chapter Anyway, hope you enjoy it! :D)

Dance Your Heart Out

I stirred nervously in my seat, the thought of reading to the class a heavy daunting thought. I had read in front of them last year, but you'd be surprised how quickly you forget these things when put on the spot. I fingered through the 3 pages I had written. To me the story was lacking, scrambled and generally uninteresting, but the more I thought about having to read it to the entire class the more the words became tangled an amateurish. To me the room was full of master pieces awaiting to be read, while mine was the odd one out the story that would have been more useful as toilet paper than reading material. What if our new English teacher was some multi successful author? This wouldn't even show up on their radar…I tried to stay myself way from the thought, but I had broken my own rule, the thought had already slipped in. My train of thought shattered as the class room door swung open.

"Right!" He stumbled in clumsily arms full of papers "Just uh, give me two minutes to sort myself out here guys and girls! Be with you in a jiffy!"

He had to be the wildest card in my deck of possible teachers. He had this huge Afro that housed a chocobo chick, a green and white jacket with a black shirt underneath. Green trousers with two large holsters on either leg. Black boots and fingerless gloves. His voice had this sort of quirk to it, I couldn't really place it. After he had sorted all his papers out in a hurry he finally turned to us.

"Ok!" He clapped his hands together standing straight. "So everyone my name is Sazh Katzroy I'm going to be your new Registration and English teacher. You guys just call me Sazh so we can avoid getting my second name wrong!" There was a small laugh from the class, he seemed the sort of teacher that got on with his students. "And I believe you guys have been righting some stories for class today, so said the guy wearing the sunglasses indoors." Sazh made this really overlay confused face, the class laughed again. "So uh we'll get one with that. Oh and don't worry, it doesn't need to be a masterpiece. So?" Sazh looked around "Who's going to be the brave one that goes first?" Vanille's hand shot up! Almost taking out Kasumi who had dithered on putting her hand up.

Without a second thought Vanille bounced up to the front of the class and started.

_The Candy Floss Monster's Bad Tooth Day!_

_Up in the bright and sunny clouds away in the long forgotten lands of Floss, lived the Candy Floss Monster. Now Candy Floss was not a monster by choice, he simply liked candy floss a bit too much and had it stick all over his body. In the land of Floss everyone celebrated everything with their home-made candy floss. Now with an ever so big sweet tooth the Candy Floss Monster could never stay away from these events._

_The Candy Floss Monster would always sneak into these events as all of Floss land wanted to capture him. He'd sneak in disguised as a tree or even inside of picnic baskets! He was a sneaky sticky Candy Floss Monster and he prided himself on it. But on the eventful night of all Flossmes eve our Candy Floss Monster did feel a sting at his teeth._

"_Oochie ouchie!" Did the Candy Floss Monster whine as his teeth did whine at him. "My teeth don't seem right this eventful Flossmes night" and then by a flick and a flash did the Flossmes Fairy appear._

"_Candy Floss Monster!" The Flossmes Fairy did peak as she waved her finger at him. "You've stuffed your face with candy floss and not share!"_

"_All the more for me!" The Candy Floss Monster did decree as he stuffed his face with more candy floss with glee._

"_But that's not fair!" The Flossmes Fairly sethed "You stole all the children's floss for this Flossemes eve!"_

"_So?" The Candy Floss Monster sighed, he cared not for other lovers of candy floss._

"_So." The Flossmes Fairy struck her wand at the Candy Floss Monster and did he feel that pain on his tooth again. "Till you can learn to share and brush your teeth. I shall take a tooth from you this Flossmes eve for all the candy floss you never shared!"_

_And did this make the Candy Floss Monster think? No, it didn't! He stuffed his face with all the candy floss meant for all the children for Flossmes eve and skipped merrily his way home. However, it was the Candy Floss Monsters last pillaging of Flossmes eve as on the dawn of the morrow all his teeth had rotted out. And so the Candy Floss Monster did eat his last bounty of candy floss as his uncared for gums whined as the floss touched them. And the moral of this story is, always share your candy floss with others. Oh! And remember to brush your teeth!_

Vanille jumped as she finished, her story had a few people hiding their faces from trying not to laugh. I swear I could see Lulu's shoulders going up and down as she surpressed a laugh. Hitomi quickly stole the opportunity to read her story next.

_Chocolate_

_I had a dream last night about you._

_A dream that we were together all of the time._

_You're beside me anymore…_

_You've simply disappeared…_

_I lay were I am, my heart in despair._

_Forever wishing that when I reopen my eyes you'll be there._

_But you're never there._

_Gone like a feather now and forever._

_Where will the wind blow you next little feather?_

_Will you one day flutter your way back to me?_

_Or dance just out of my reach._

_I won't forget your kindness, your loving smile, no those are mine to keep forever._

_Till once we meet little feather._

_Dance your windswept dance._

_Forever caught in this swirling wind we call home._

There were a few claps from the class as Hitomi took her seat looking a little more red faced then when she had started. The voluntaries never stopped there, Snow quite confidently strode up to the front of the class. He waited for silence before he began…and waved to Serah.

_HERO_

_Hero's never fear, hero's never retreat, hero's never surrender!_

_Everlasting shall they stand their vigil!_

_Rest the world stand in terror, hero's will never fall!_

_Over the mountains, in the forest, in us all is a hero waiting to be born!_

Paine safely uncovered her ears afters Snow heroic shouting assault of words. You had to give him credit, he really believed in the whole 'Hero' thing…just don't ask him to write about it if you want to keep your hearing. I caught a few sniggers coming from up the back, a random comment from Zack about his ears being on fire, and Tidus falling over on his chair from balancing on two legs. Paine didn't break the trend as she quickly replaced Snow up at the front of the class.

_The Ghost of You_

_The door closed behind him, the room was like it always was. Neat. Clean. Tidy…just the way she always had it. The realisation hurt, hurt like a bed of razors…but it was all he had, all he knew…and he fought to hold onto it. He went about his routine hanging up his bag, dumping his jacket in his room, making himself something to eat. How could he live with it? Live with knowing that the only thing he had, he had already lost? The questions nagged him in his skull, numbing his senses and clouding his feelings. He shook them off as he sat on the couch the long day unwinding from his back. He took a breath before turning on the old TV. It was the same old thing, gameshows, idiots pitching ideas to rich founders all that old junk._

_A small pass of air breathed through the room, he turned slowly heart pounding. Warmth touched his cheek in that familiar slender form, his heart lifted as the warmth pooled onto his cheeks._

"_You're here." His daily worries vanished at the sense of the familiar warmth. It shifted down to his shoulders as a single concentrated spot formed on his forhead. "Oh well I missed you too!" The warmth pulled back then teasingly flicked itself at his cheek, he smiled brightly she was beautiful._

_He was full of that warmth, the cold air he'd emerged from not phasing him. The night passed quickly, the happy couple sharing tender moments together like they always did. The toilet buckled with steam as he stepped from the curtain, he stared into the steamed up mirror trying to settle those nagging worries again. A dot appeared in the mirror, he blinked, the dots drew itself up, then around…and finally over itself. The shape of a perfect heart sat graceful in the steam on the mirror. He smiled, heart lifted threatening to burst, he filled the heart in with his finger. And to his surprise she was standing there, smiling at him happily green eyes twinkling in the reflecting, hair as crimson as warm flames. His lips arched into a smile, she looked down shuffling her feet as her smile shuttered ever so slightly. It was love. She smiled as she leaned over finger reflected on the glass as it connected._

_I love you._

_The butterflies in his stomach went nuts at the word as the warmth of her arms left his shoulder, her smiled hovering over his shoulder as she stood on tiptoes._

"_I love you too." She shyly smiled, the same gorgeous smile that lifted his heart every time. He wrote it on the mirror along side her pretty dripping curls._

_It was love…love of a strange kind. Love that never was. He stood by himself in the bathroom, the mirror reflecting a girl that wasn't there with him, an invisible finger that wrote. A love that defied the bonds of living…and dead._

"Very nice!" Sazh clapped a very proud look on his face "Great twist at the end there! Made me think he was insane for a moment there!" Paine smiled thankful to have her work complimented, a great deal of the class were still clapping as she sat down. "Right! So anyone want to take the stage next?"

Brother's hand shot up, Rikku quickly slugged him over the head with a thesaurus "ME!" She shouted over Brother's muffled answer. Without a second to spare Rikku made her way to the front of the class, she knocked Hitomi's desk as she passed in her blind panic. Rikku sorted herself out as she waited for the class to quieten down, I swear I heard Brother take another knock from that thesaurus his whining came to a sudden abrupt end.

_The Biggest Dummy_

_In a place far far far far far far away. There lived the biggest dummy ever to live in the whole world! He wore a pair of stupid love heart undies and a yellow mohawk. The biggest dummy was a stupid man who spent all his time running into walls and screaming at the top of his voice. His fellow idiots grow tired of his stupidness, so they hatched a plan to get rid of him. While the biggest dummy was knocked out from having had a long day of running into walls (and through some in certain cases) the other idiots stuffed him in a box._

Rikku nervously stirred her foot "Uh…and that's all I wrote." She grinned nervously.

"BORING!" Rang Dona's voice from the back of the class.

Rikku's cheeks puffed up, her face grew redder I could practically feel her anger starting to build from where I was. The period bell rang defusing the situation. The class started packing away as our new teacher sprung into action. I stood up chair sliding back as I did, I gripped my story pages as I tucked the chair neatly under the desk.

"Just leave your stories on the front desk folks! Pretty good from what I heard!" I put my pages with the growing stack on the table then made my way outside.

It had been some sort of blessing not to have to read out my story. I had been so nervous that the sweat from my hands alone could have easily drowned a small population. But I didn't need to think about it anymore, I was safe, I was free. The only thing I needed to worry about was the coming Halloween dance…and how hard could that be?

I squirmed under my clothes as the teachers lined the boys up at one side of the hall. Truth be told I had never enjoyed school dances, they felt more like a chore than something you could enjoy. But maybe it was mostly because usually you get forced to dance with all the bitchy ones…but that might have been just _my_ luck. Or maybe it was the suits the teachers were making all the boys wear that was putting me off. Geez talk about a monkey suit! I was surprised guys like Leon and Bayman could actually fit into those sort of things.

"Hey." A small voice bottled up at me, I looked down to Hope who looked as nervous as I was. "Are-are you nervous?" He was playing with the edges of his shirt brow thick with sweat.

"Yeah I always get nervous about these sort of things." Hope didn't seem to lighten up. _Great make him even more nervous Max…way to go. _"So what are you getting nervous about?" He looked at me with some hint of fear to his eyes. His answer was one word.

"Lightning." He threw out sort of shifted his weight from one side to the other, face tinting red slightly. A smile creept out over my features, Hope quickly caught onto my thoughts. "It-its not that I like like Light!" His cheeks grow redder by the second "I just want to! Uh! UH!" He gripped his hair, he was really having trouble with this whole thing.

I put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I understand" He looked up at me slightly surprised. "You want to dance with Lightning but you're just too nervous to ask her since you're afraid she might take it the wrong way." I lowered myself to the same level as him "Listen, if you'd like. I'll go over with you and you can ask her, if it all goes pear shaped then you can just say I put you up to it! Ok!" Hope's smile picked up, he nodded.

"Gentlemen!" Tobli's voice boomed out over the hall loud speakers, I swear I heard Brother nearly shit himself. "Welcome to the Halloween Dance! Just to remind you that the Halloween Party is this Friday and fancy dress is expected!" I heard a lot of the guys groan at that. "But without further a do! Here are your dances for this evening!"

The hall door opened as one by one the girls neatly poured into the hall. Each of them was dress in an evening dress, they were all wearing some type of heels. I could see the girls were already picking, meek smiles as they waved at certain guys some going a little further than others. Our little group had been spread out, I only knew that Gippal at the bottom of the line to my right and Hope was beside me. As for any of the girls I knew Rikku was hiding somewhere in the back, I had seen her braids a short second as Tifa, Aerith and Kasumi entered.

"Now gentlemen! Ask your lady and-" 'Aerosmith: Don't wanna miss one thing' started to play "Dance the night away." The lights dimmed as the song picked up.

Some of the guys were already making their way across the room, some of the girls were giggling in anticipation. I saw Gippal doing some sort of crane walk, Baralai was freshening up his breath with a mint. I looked down to Hope.

"Shall we?" He gave a very slow nervous nod "Hey come on you'll be fine!" Hope begged to differ.

I scanned the crowd of girls for pink hair, darting around couples and flustered individuals. Hitomi looked about ready to pass out as Ryu was asking her to dance, Kasumi and Ayane were having a tug of war with Hayate's arms…we hit a wide curve the fighting twin sisters.

"Hope!" I heard an overjoyed voice from behind, I turned to see Vanille holding Hopes hands. She was wore a pink dress "Would you like to dance?" She beamed smiling extremely happily, Hope sort of stammered something. "Right come on then!" Vanille dragged Hope away before he could get another word in.

I felt a soft cold touch run up the length of my spine, Christie elegantly took a step round me. Her black dress clung to her as her black lipstick curved into a warm smile.

"May I have this dance sir?" She asked charmingly eyes twinkling at me. I felt butterflies in my stomach. I took her offered hand as she lend the way to the floor.

Christie pulled herself close as we started to dance. Original we had started as a kind of a slow dance but as the music picked up slightly Christie was starting to fit in little twirls. She would spin so gracefully that her dress seemed to flow like ripples, her black daggered heels adding to her sleek sexy appearance to the night. I found myself wishing that the song would never end…but all good things must come to an end. The last few notes played themselves off, Christie reluctantly unwrapped her arms from around my neck.

"You really can dance Christie." I was speechless. I mean I knew Christie was graceful but I had no idea she could dance that romantically. She smiled flushing slightly then curtseyed.

"Thank you for the dance." She took a step toward me "My white knight." Her eyes sparkled at me, I felt my cheeks burn up.

The night went on, couples dancing, laughter and people having a good time. Yuna had very shyly asked me to dance with her when 'The Reason' by Hubastank came on…I had a feeling she had been waiting for that exact song before she asked me. Nooj seemed to be plaguing the punch bowl as he took cup after cup of punch, Gippal and Wakka were taking bets on if his insides would turn pink by the end of the night. Hope finally picked up the courage to ask Lightning to dance, Snow, Tidus and Fang had kept pushing him on to ask her. Fang actually had put Hope right smack bang in front of Lightning then just told him to ask her. I had retired to the benches, my feet were still hurting from Fang's attempt at dancing…my toes felt like mashed pulp from being stood on so much.


	13. Bonding

(Right. Ok sorry for the long needed update, but here it is. And sorry for the jumping around of previous chapters, i wasn't quite sure of where to go with this. But hopefully thats all done and dusted :) so here I proudly present you the next chapter. Have fun reading it, cause I had fun writing it! Which I haven't done in a while with my writing :D'

Bonding

I rubbed my eyes for the a millionth time, the test paper in front of me was a jumble, uninteresting and lethargic. Days had sped past like a fleeting dream, as if I were a character in a novel who's author just wanted race to the conclusion. Auron's drone rambling was just background noise a constant groaning in my ear. My pencil curved as my picture started to come together, a gothic anime girl making random comments about questions and topics. The page was a mass of doodles there was even cake in one of the page corners.

"_Ta dah! What do you think?"_

"_Wow, they're awesome!"_

"_You really think so?"_

"_Of course!"_

I smiled as the faint memory of a cooking class passed through warmly. It held a gentle smile and a kind voice. I didn't feel stupid sitting there smiling about it, it was a happy memory.

"_So what do you think of the school?"_

"_It's big"_

"_Hee hee that's how they're suppose to be right? You're going to do just fine here!"_

"_Thanks Hitomi."_

"_No problem!"_

I peered over to where she was, her head was down on the desk arms barring her paper from view. I chuckled as a happy feeling washed over me. Hitomi was the first real friend I had made when I came here, she had always looked out for me. It was good to have her back…to see her smile by herself again. Her light brown hair swayed as she suddenly turned round in my direction, her sky blue eyes flicked round the faces. They paused drawing back in my direction…her lips pulled into a smile hair parting as her left hand reached over her right to twinkle her fingers at me. Stupidly I waved back.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?" Auron's stern voice came from behind. I gawcked eye twitching as Hitomi quickly turned around again. _God damn you are stupid!_ My smaller mental self punched me in the side of the head.

"I was-uh-I was uh just working out my wrist!" The light bulb above my head spark on. "Yeah was just working my wrist out! Got to combat the writers cramp! Yup!" I started wave like a maniac.

Auron made his way back up to the front of the class. _Maybe I pulled that off. _"Then you and Miss Hitomi can practice your wrist techniques after class…" _Or maybe not…_

Hitomi slowly put her hand up, Auron peered at her over his glasses. "Uh but we didn't do anything wrong sir." I swear I heard the entire class push their chairs away from us.

"This test is under exam conditions…" Auron sorted his glasses "The last thing we need are you two's little lovebird affair disturbing others…" We both blushed bright red.

"But we only waved at each other!" I felt myself growing redder.

"I only waved cause he was staring at me!" Hitomi waved her arms around.

"I wasn't staring!"

"Yes you were!"

"No I wasn't!"

"Yes you were! You were staring at me like some dummkopf!"

"Doom what?"

"Dummkopf!"

"SILENCE!" Auron's voice cut through our shouting. "Two hundred times on the board 'I must not' both of you. Now." Two thunks echoed in the class from me and Hitomi slamming our heads on our desks.

**I must not disrupt class**

**I must not disrupt class**

**I must not disrupt class**

**I must not disrupt class**

_Borrrrred…_ I stomached the intense hatred for my teacher. _We just waved to each other! It wasn't like we were throwing car doors at each other, jesus! I must not disrupt class. Hmmm, gave that one a funny looking 'I' heh screw it! I ain't fixing that. …This is so boring… Wonder how Hitomi's getting on. _I glanced over to Hitomi's half of the board, she had nearly covered it all. _Damn…she's steaming along with it! 5, 6, 7, 24, 45, 67, 87, she's almost done! What have I got? Let's see. 1, 2, 3, 8, 25, 33, 49, 55…hmm still got a ways to go. I must not disrupt class. I must not disrupt class. I must not dis- This bloody sucks! Probably never going to hear the end of this…I swear if a knife flies past my head I'm out of here! I'll ninja back flip through the window! Yeah!- Wait it's a two story drop from here….hm…I guess I could try sliding across the floor like in those action movies. Would probably rip my shirt to shreads though but what's better, ripped shirt or killed my assassin? …Defiantly the shirt. I must not disrupt class. I must not disrupt class. What the hell?_

**I must not let little men steal our cart**

**I must not say the cake is a lie**

**I must piss off ninjas**

**I must squash tiny baby team like bug**

**I must push little cart**

**I must GET TO DAH CHOPPA!**

_Oh geez! Auron will wring my neck if he sees that! Gotta get rid of it! Wait! Check if he's looking first. _Auron was sat at his desk near the door. I sigh relieved as I grabbed the chalk board eraser and began to get rid of the in the class someone sniggered. _Oh shit, come on arms! Faster! Faster! I don't want to die! Oh god he's going to see this isn't he? And then I'm dead! I'm so dead! Tell my parents I love them!_

"Sir!" Hitomi turned to Auron, hand slightly raised. Auron looked at her over his glasses, my arm stopped dead. "We're finished sir." _Wha?_

Auron coolly flicked an eye to the board. "Very well you can sit down now…" He went back to reading the book he had on the desk.

_Wait…what the heck just happened? _I made my way back to my seat, stopping to let Hitomi sit down in hers first. _I only had about 40 lines done that weren't gibberish…was he just pulling our legs? _I sat down in my seat._ Did he let us off easy? What the hell just happened?_ _**BRING!**_ The bell ripped my current train of thought from the rails and threw it in the ocean. _The test!_ I reached down from my paper only to grab thin air. I slowly looked down a feeling of dread washing over me…my test paper was gone. _Oh cwap._

"Make sure you read you're text books for next week. Pages 268 to 300, The Origin of Martial Arts. Well be having a pop quiz on it next week so study! Oh and." An identical test paper floated down onto my desk. "Next time don't scribble over your test paper please. This is History class not Art…" Hitomi wandered over, Auron handed her another sheet like me. "Make sure you both have your papers in by tomorrow afternoon. I suggest you both work together…and no excuses this time."

"Thank you sir!" We both looked at each other unbelievingly. Auron just grunted sorting his glasses.

I grabbed my bag as I left the class in tow with Hitomi.

"I hate having History at the end of the day…" Hitomi made sure we were well out of earshot before she commented. "Its too much stress on the brain for so late in the day. I can barely even retain anything at this time of day! It's so stupid…"

"Yeah I know what you mean." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Hey! Sorry for getting you in trouble, I really didn't mean to." Hitomi smiled at me.

"It's ok! It was actually a good thing. I couldn't answer a single question on that test." I raised an eyebrow at her, it wasn't like Hitomi to have that much trouble with a test usually she turned out alright. She caught the worried look I was giving her "It's uh just with all the stuff we've been doing with the others! And uh all the fieldtrips! I've not really studied…that much." She laughed nervously. "Oh wait." Hitomi blinked blankly "The Halloween party is tonight isn't it?" I nodded. "I can't risk going to that…I mean I could but then I might fail." Hitomi sort of pulled at her hair. I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Auron said we could work together on this. Tell you want, why don't we skip the stupid party and have a study night. Will be a lot easier with two of us working on it!" Hitomi beamed a smiled at me.

"That's a great idea!" She threw her arms around my shoulders "We can be study buddies!" She squealed. "You know my room number right?" I set Hitomi back on her feet.

"146?" She gently tapped me on the nose.

"Nope. 246 silly!" Hitomi smiled. "In fact why don't we meet up in front of the dorms in an hour then we can go there together. Just so you don't get lost! Plus I need to grab some books from the library."

I adjusted my bag since it had decided that it wanted to try and touch the floor. "Sure thing! If I find the others I'll tell them and I'll see you at six."

"I'm sure they won't mind." Hitomi took two steps back she pivoted on her heels turning her hips down the corridor, her torso still facing me slightly. "See ya at six!" She waved happily as she walked off in the opposite direction.

The hour passed quickly. But the time after that…well. Minutes can seem like hours. Hitomi's room was nothing like I had imagined. The walls were still that lifeless white of any dorm room, the kitchen was well tended with pots and pans neatly tucked away. One bed was made, Hitomi had told me she had no roommate. But the thing I noticed right away was that the room seemed like it was ready for a second person, it's difficult to describe. It was like the unused bed would have made itself in seconds, that you would feel right at home here. It was a quite, peaceful and thoughtful room.

"This is harder than I thought…" Hitomi stretched herself out on the bed for what must have been the tenth time in the past ten minutes. We'd been stuck on the last question for what seemed like half an age now.

"What is the defining details of the duravian dynasty and the actions within that time period? …That doesn't make any sense!" I was close to hurling the offending text out of the window.

_Duravian…it isn't even a real period is it? Well not according to the ancient china textbook anyway. Did Auron mention it sometime? Word puzzle. Did I miss something. WORD PUZZLE._

"Trick question!" Hitomi and I shouted at the same time.

"There was no real era of the Duravian dynasty!" Hitomi sat up.

"So the defining details of the era are!"

"NOTHING!" Hitomi quickly scribbled down the answer. Victorious we both turned to the clock. "It's 1:30 in the morning…" Hitomi looked down at me her tiredness starting to manifest itself. "If you want you can stay here for tonight?"

I smiled up at her from the floor. "Yeah that would be great!" She smiled.


	14. Unsettled

(very short update for you guys. Enjoy! :D)

Unsettled

_My fingers wrapped themselves around the door handle. I couldn't remember anything up to this point, why was I at the door to my room? I twisted the handle pulling the door open just a crack. The corridor stood in dead dark silence the air seeming to be saturated with the darkness itself. My eyes began to pick out the small parts of the world, the curves on the wooden doorframes, the patterns of the wallpaper. Some shifted in the middle of the corridor the fray of something catching the smallest part of the light squeezing through the curtains. My heart leapt, I eased the door shut in a hurry. My thoughts raced. Was someone break in? Did they see me? What do I do? But strangely one thought stood out more than the rest. Am I still dreaming? As the thought passed I found myself with enough courage to stand and look outside again. Again the eclipsed thing in the corridor moved. Curious now I opened the door wide this time it stayed still, the sense of eyes falling on me._

"_Hello?" I swear I felt my voice flutter on the air. "Hello?" I stepped out from the safety of my room._

_I held a hand out in front of me approaching however or whatever was in the corridor. My eyes finally pierced the dark the world becoming clear in a blue hue. My brow arched in confusion at what I had uncovered, a young girl, a young girl dressed in a old fashioned blue dress with a matching bonnet._

"_Hello!" The girl greeted me warmly, a tint of warmth coming to her porcelain white skin. "My names Catherine!" She smiled light blue eyes seeming to pierce right through me._

_Something told me to keep my distance but my nature overwrite the nagging feeling. "What are you doing here?" I found myself coming down to the girls level. She mearly smiled at my question._

"_Waiting for you!" Like a child she wrapped her arms around my neck. "I've never met a dreamer before! I just wanted to meet you!" I found myself standing now with the girl hanging around my neck. I felt confused as my arms went to support her, a dreamer did she say? "Could you turn the light on?" I felt the girl bury her face into my right shoulder her grip on my shirt increasing "…I don't like the dark."_

_My fingers flipped the switch in the corridor…a deep feeling of dread washing over me as I felt the child's grip hold steady._

"_A-are you ok?" I felt a cold chill run up my spine. "The lights on now. You're safe."_

_Catherine lifted her head her grip on my shirt holding steady. "It's not me you should be worried about…" She was smiling a different smile now. "And I'm ever so hungry mister dreamer…"_

_Her legs pulled tight her head pulled back jaw opening inhumanly. Her jaw cracked as her normal teeth became jagged an uneven around the massive circular mouth. My right hand jolted up just in time to catch her by the hair as she lunged at my throat. She thrashed around growling like some wild monster, I managed to grabbed her under the chin with my left hand. A snap echoed from her neck, I backed up shocked I hadn't pulled her neck back hard enough. I stumped into something…before I could turn round I was pinned to the floor, a strong grip pulled me round. A woman in a black nighty with brown hair sported the same monstrous mouth, eyes ablaze with fury. The bathroom door opened slowly as a man in a blue suit and short brown hair staggered out. His mouth was the same. I struggled under the iron grip as the new figure shuffled awkwardly toward were I was. The woman pinned my head down on the carpet, something in me scared._

_It was then, from the corner of my eye, that I saw a black puddle move on the ceiling. It darted down the wall then toward the man, he stopped looking down at it simply. My heart leapt as two pale slim arms shot up from it grabbing him by the head then tore him down into the depths. I stared in amazement my heart beating a dangerously high rhythm. Pressure lifted from the side of my face, I sat up to see the woman backing off a look of fear in her deformed features. The light flickered. The air started to feel unsettling a heavy sense of something dark and deep began to overwhelm me. If I had of blinked I would have missed it, as if from the very air itself a pale face appeared. It eyes were masked under a heavy shadow concealed even more so by long black hair that ran down almost to the chin. Fear gripped me as I looked apon this thing, as if a fear deeper than the ocean was crushing me…I screwed my eyes shut as the woman turned._

_A tense moment passed as I waited for some terrifying sound to break the silence…waited…though it never came. I pulled my hands up over my eyes begging for at least something to tell me that the event had passed. I got my wise…though I chilled me to the bone. The slightest bit of cold wind tickled the tips of my fingers as someone let out a soft breath. It came again as I felt two hand rest themselves on my knees, the pressure saying that the person was leaning in closer. I felt my fingers spread not of my own accord…reluctantly I squeezed my eye open a crack. I meet the dark black brow of the face I had seen from before, beneath the mess of unkempt hair was a girls face…she smiled very thinly at me. I felt her hand nudge at my fingers as she made me slowly pull my hand away from my eyes, I opened my eyes fully. Though before I can say a word she leans in closer, her eyes still obscured by that dark fringe. She pulls right in till our noses are almost touching…she sniffs. A feeling nudges at me, don't trust her. The girl pulls away then points up to the light switch._

"_They see you…" Her voice is slightly rough as if she had just recovered from a throat infection. Still her eyes are obscured._

_The words made sense, those things could see the light though the blinds, that's how they knew I was there! I reached up toward the switch the scenes of the later event still fresh…the weight of a hand crushing down on me. A feeling stabbed me in the side like a dagger through the heart, something in me riled agitated protesting against turning the switch. Where had this girl come from? From the dark? Out of the very air? My hand stopped short of the switch…the girl smiled unnaturally._

"…_Clever boy…" The sides of her wicked smiled almost arched to the bottom of her ears, razor sharp teeth neatly in a row. "I almost had you there…" She came close, leaving no room between us her voice twisting to become dark, cunning and sinister. She put her arms around my neck her wicked toothed smile mere inches from my nose, I felt fear deeper and darker than the ocean. She was something dark and forgotten. "Keep you're light on dreamer…or I'll get you next time." Her wicked smiled seemed to widen "Time to wake up…"_

I shot up mind ablaze with fear forehead covered in a cold sweat.

"Woah hey!" A familiar pair of arms held around my neck. "It's ok! You were just having a nightmare. Don't worry…you're safe now, its all over."

It took a few seconds to recognise the voice, Hitomi held me ignoring the thick sweat rubbing onto her white T-shirt. I felt dizzy and confused, the world seemed hazy as if I was still in a dream. My head started to settle my mind able to tell me that this was defiantly the real world and not another dreamer. I found myself clutching the right side of Hitomi's top arm shaking uncontrollably…my body was shaking as well. Hitomi pulled away hands staying on my shoulder. She looked me over eye swelling with concern, I couldn't do anything else but sit there and quake with fear, she smiled thinly before pulling close. I swear I could hear myself crying…


	15. Snowflakes

(A very special thanks to jakelovesyuna for helping so much with this chapter and the story overall. Really I couldn't have done it without you mate! So this one is for you :D)

Snowflakes

A tickle came to my neck, a familiar annoying tickle that drove my nerves insane. Something cold bit at the back of my neck, something cold enough to freeze my dreams to a halt and wander me back to the world of the living. I shot up as the chill clamped it's jaws around my forehead.

"CHRIST THAT'S COLD!" Hitomi suddenly shot up with a frying pan in hand, she looked around then at me, then swallowed thinly looking stary eyed…then fell back down into her covers. "You ok?" I asked cautiously giving Hitomi a small poke on the kneecap. Her sky blue eyes flowed over to me.

"You scared me." She put simply fist loosening on the handle of the frying pan. I couldn't stop the small smile sneaking its way onto my lips.

"Sorry about that." I lay back down underneath the covers of the makeshift bed we had constructed on the floor. "Hope I didn't ruin a good dream."

Hitomi blew her fringe up out of her eyes, she turned onto her stomach then in one swift movement flicked my nose with her index finger. "Dummkopf!" She stuck her tongue out at me then wandered sleepily to the toilet. "For that. I get to use the toilet first!" She smiled evilly as she disappeared round the corner the locks sliding into pace. _Bad time to need the toilet then…_

After about an hour of fighting for control of the toilet Hitomi and I were fully dressed and running down the corridors. I slowed…as something became very apparent to me. There was not a sign of life to the corridors. Hitomi jogged back test paper clutched in hand, she grabbed me by the hand and pulled me along behind her. Lockers were abandoned, classrooms were devoid of life…we were in a hollow shell of an empty beast. Well…Auron was still at his desk when we got there. Hitomi gave me a nervous look over her shoulder, I nodded at her.

"Sir?" Hitomi knocked on the door, Auron looked round beckoning us in.

"You're late…" He stated sternly over his sunglasses. I glanced at the clock just above the board, we were only a minute late.

"Sorry sir, we had a little trouble getting up." Hitomi apologetically held her test paper out.

"Then I suggest a louder alarm clock…" Auron took the paper from her, he snatched mine when I offered it. He briefly scanned them over "You'll get you're results as soon as classes start again…"

"Start again sir?" I had no idea what he meant.

Auron chuckled very slightly "Didn't look out the window this morning did you?…It's snowing." He gestured towards the window. I felt my jaw drop, I hadn't seen snow in years. "I won't keep you two from your fun." Auron stood up with his text books and our papers in hand "…Or would you rather stay inside and work?"

My arm wrenched back "No sir! Thank you sir!" Hitomi dragged me out of the room before either of us got any unwanted work. "Have you got some hats and gloves?" She was still pulling me along full pelt down the corridor. I nodded as she glanced over her shoulder. "Great! But first," Hitomi stopped turning round on her heels. "We have to get those off your head!" She pointed up to the bandages still wrapped around my head…I had forgotten they were there. Grinning she lead the way to the nurses office.

I rubbed the bandages this small little tingle of something playing at me as I sat waiting to be seen. It was like this confusing little fuzz, this feeling that something was suppose to be there but wasn't.

"You know…" Hitomi mussed beside me, the long deserted corridor painted out behind her. "I was so scared when it happened…You just sort of…stopped. I…I…I felt that I couldn't help a friend. All I could do was watch as everyone else flooded in to help…how I just stood there watching you limp in the water the blood staining the water redder." Hitomi briefly glanced at me "I'm sorry…" She looked at the floor. "You don't want to hear this…" She sat there still this look of defeat on her face. Before I knew it my hand had touched her.

"Hey…don't beat yourself up ok." She slowly looked at me, a teardrop hanging on her eyelids teetering on the edge about to roll its way down her cheek.

"I just…I just." Hitomi wiped her eyes this loud sniff echoing from her "I just felt like I had let everyone down. That I had caused more harm than anything else!" Her denim jackets sleeve made its way quickly to her eyes hiding them from sight. "I couldn't…I couldn't…I couldn't help th…I couldn't help!" She hiccuped, I pulled her close.

"It's ok. It's ok…" I tapped her on the head as the reel of a very faded memory showed someone watching over me as I slept. The nurse's office door opened out stepped a slightly familiar face, she looked at us with large deep hazel eyes her skin almost matching in tone. She had a black v necked t shirt and black miniskirt under her white overall. Hitomi moved away, her body language saying one thing…go.

I stood up eyes not shifting from Hitomi, a hand guided me in past the doorframe. Inside I sat down on the stool as the nurse went about sorting some instruments and other things.

"Sounded like it was getting a little rough out there." She commented, I kept my head down Hitomi's words eating away at me. She had been trying to tell me something. "You friend seems worried about you." The nurse's voice fluttered over again.

"Yeah…" Was all I managed…I could have slapped myself.

I heard the woman sigh "You young men. Always getting into trouble!" I looked up as the nurse came over "Well that's what I'd say under any other circumstance!" She smiled down at me hands carefully starting to remove the bandages. "But if memory serves me well, which it does, you took a very-very nasty bang from that pool wall. So lets see, if my handwork has pulled off." I felt the softness of the bandage leave my forehead entirely. "Hmm, not bad! It doesn't seem misshapen in anyway." She reached into her pocket producing a small black pen like object. Her fingers softly pushed my right eye open as the end of the pen thing flicked on turning itself into a small torch. She done the same with my left eye before going back to my other eye again. "Just follow the light for me as best as you can, ok." I did so. "And now again with this eye." Again I did as I was told. "Ok, you seem solid there. Now" The nurse went behind me "I just need to check your skulls set in right. If I hit any sore spots make sure to say ok."

"Ok." I squeaked the sudden thought of possible pain unnerving. Within a second I had already squeaked out my first 'ow' it didn't get much better after that, the tip of my head felt like a battlefield had been there.

The door opened as Hitomi peeked in, the nurse smiled at her. "You can come in! He's almost done." Hitomi slipped in as the nurse came back round. "Right young man that's one out of three, so here's your last little test. What's my name?" I blinked bewildered by the question, I had never seen this woman in my entire life why would she ask me that?

"I'm sorry. I don't know." The nurses small smile never faltered.

"Can you remember when your head was bandaged?" Again I found nothing, I shook my head. "Don't worry that's normal." She sat down as she pulled a bottle of piles from the shelf. "Ok young man. I'm prescribing you these painkillers for the next two week, you don't have to worry about getting any more as these will last you two weeks. Now in a few hours or so you're going to get some moderate pain in the centre of your crown. In fact it's going to feel like your heads splitting in two. So! You'll be taking one of these bad boys every 12 hours, that's one in the morning when you set off for class and one before you go to bed. You do that and you'll feel little discomfort ok. Now you memory loss will recover in about a week or two, its just been from the pressure in your skull your brain hasn't been able to function properly. I wouldn't play any sports that could cause any head injuries so I'll pass that on to your PE teacher so you can sit out. And if you have any further problems you just come and see me ok!" She handed me my medication with a smile.

"Thank you miss!" I stood up slowly my head feeling several times lighter than before.

She smiled even more "You're very welcome!" She looked at Hitomi "Don't beat yourself up, your friend would have been a lot worse without your help. He's lucky to have a guardian angel watching over him!" Hitomi flushed a little, cheeks growing red. Hitomi held my arm helping me out as I was a little shaky on my feet. "Oh and snowballs are allowed!" Came barrelling up the corridor at us.

I had never remembered a time where it snowed in November. The freeze on the air grazed itself past my cheeks like a gorilla beating its chest, the nip of the cold air biting at my lips and fingers. I hugged myself, Hitomi giving me this 'wimp' look as she overtook me. Before I could put my hat on a weight bared down on my shoulder, I looked round to a pair of crimson red eyes.

"Hey." Paine offered politely hand retreating into her pocket now that she had my attention. "Do you mind if we talk in private?" Something in me nudged a worry out of nowhere, the look in her eyes didn't bold too well. I followed her as she lead on, away from all the ruckus of snow warring students, all from the wailing of Rikku has Gippal stuffed her pants full of snow.

"So what are you wanting to speak about?" I asked as Paine came to a slow halt on a hill, I nearly slipped back down in the process.

Paine turned, looking at me with such hurt behind her eyes. She took a breath composing herself "I don't love you anymore…" She watched the whiteness of the snow intently, part of me blinked in confusion. "I just think…that this thing…me and you. Is a one way thing." Paine faced me head on, discomfort reading in her gaze…and heartbreak. "I know you're in quite a hard spot…I mean…you have Christie and Yuna wanting to be with you. It's just…" Paine looked off to the right, frustration playing her brow for a second. "I never got anything back for what I gave…it's like having a crush on someone from afar. So…I'm not in love with you anymore." She looked me right in the eye, her eyes ablaze with something I couldn't even begin to understand.

"…Sorry…" Sorry? It was a meaningless thing to say…but it was all I had to offer as I hung my head in shame.

Paine tsked she took a few steps to the side of me. "But I'm not saying we can't still be friends." A ghost of a smile played her lips as I looked up to her. "Just that I don't think there anything between us anymore! You're still my friend." Paine put a hand on my chest "Always will be." There was this akward silence then she walked off.

_If only I had been better at reading the signs…this wouldn't have happened…_

_**You can't win em all chief. You live and you learn.**_

That face stung like a needle in the heart, if I had paid more attention…what did it matter? It was all too late now. **SPLAT!** A snowball whited out my vision, I fell back into the cold. There came a muffled laugh, a slap on the thigh and the snow parting.

"Gotcha!" Christie beamed down at me, cheeks slightly red from the cold. She leaned out on me, trapping me underneath her with her arms as if she was peering over the edge of a bed at something. "You have a look of someone miles away." She smiled a cheekily "Bet it's all nice and warm there with a tone of beach girls." I sighed letting out this huge breath, Christie's teasing look changed to one of concern then understanding. "Ah. I see what's eating at you." She moved off me letting me sit up. "That little talk you and Paine had was the 'I don't think it's going to work between us' talk." She gave me this cocky look as I looked at her in disbelief. "But…" Christie sat closer her lips brushing against my neck "I can wait for you forever. All night long in fact" She purred in my ear.

A snowball hit me right in the face, splashing snow over Christie. Yuna dusted off her hands a smug grin on her face.

"This is snowcraft! Not lovecraft!" She giggled making another snowball.

"THIS! IS! SNOWTA!" Tidus slammed a huge pile of snow over Yuna's head as she giggled madly.

Christie ruffled the snow out of her hair "Well…" She stood up "Are you going to help me get back at Yuna for ruining our moment?" She extended her hand "Or sit there beating yourself up all day?"

I smiled…till another snowball fight me in the face, Rikku was killing herself laughing. "Right!" I took Christie's hand raising to my feet in mere milla seconds. "Your dead Rikku!"

"No! No! NoooO! I didn't mean it!" Rikku bolted with me hot on her heels.


	16. Our Worlds

(So this has actually been sitting on my computer for a while now. The plan was to always be two chapters ahead so I could put out a chapter every now and then...unfortunatly something managed to mess that up and I've not wanted to write anything for this for a while. Hopefully I'll be able to keep my promise to you and get working on this again. In till then, I'll see you next chapter. Enjoy)

Our worlds

Hitomi blew into her frozen hands she was eagerly looking forward to the hot chocolate Lulu as making for everyone. The moon was high in the clear night sky the stars twinkling around it. I rubbed my hands together as I became painfully aware of how much everyone was crowded around the radiator. The warmth poured into one spot in the middle of my spine, Yuna was scrunched up next to me looking rather squished. Though this ended after Gippal 'accidentally' passed gas making no one want to sit beside the radiator anymore…clever monkey.

"Oh has anyone heard what we have tomorrow?" The ring of excitement in Hitomi's voice was like something you'd hear from a child in a sweety shop. She just got a few raised eyebrows in response. "We're suppose to be doing this, digital art thingy tomorrow. I have no idea what we'll be doing but it sounds really fun!" She bounced a little on the floor in her blue jumper.

"So we'll be sitting with a graphics tablet and a graphics program all day then?" Christie didn't sound too thrilled by it all taking a long drink from her mug. Hitomi shrugged.

"I can't really say for sure." She took a sip from her mug. "I've never drawn anything in years though…I'm going to be really rusty." She smiled nervously hoping others would maybe dive in with her.

"You used to draw?" Hitomi smiled at me.

"Yes." She sipped her mug again but still kept her eyes trained on mine. "I liked drawing the landscapes outside my home a lot. They were peaceful." Gippal suddenly flopped over nearly braining himself on the radiator in the process.

"Ah man! If its just stupid artwork I'm going to fail big time! I can't even draw a circle!" He hid his face rolling around on the floor…milking it for every penny it was worth…Paine looked about ready to smash her mug over his head.

Hitomi giggled the wisps of steam catching her cheeks as it rose upward. A little weight came to my left shoulder, Yuna had perched her head there. She smiled softly at me hot chocolate balanced on her lap, I smiled putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

"Cold Yuna?" Lulu asked from nowhere a mug of hot chocolate for herself. Yuna blushed slightly then nodded, Lulu just smiled back.

_White Mercury pt2: From bad to worse_

_The pain shot through my skull like a fire through dead leaves. My head felt like a concrete block ready to be fitted with a pair of leathers to meet the fishes. My arms and legs were bound to a chair in some old deserted basement. The throbbing in my skull made everything shaky, I felt about ready to check in for the night._

"_Awake at last?" The sing song voice was lighter than a birds wing with a ton of malice. "Thought the boys had cracked your skull cop. Was getting all lonely sitting her waiting to see if your brains had been scrambled." She was the regular femme fatale a cold eyed killer with looks that could knock a man dead faster than a point blank shot to the face. "Have to say you have a way with lady luck…" She passed by me silver piece brushing past my ear as the snow haired valkrie took her time with me. "Meant to catch you and her with one shot…guess she took it all for you. The typical love-hate relationship…" The memories played with a web of misery trapping me like a fly…the thought had already seeped in…corrupting._

"_So what are you? Some junky trying to prove her worth by cleaning up?" She had the gun and I was strapped to a chair…playing nice wouldn't have earned me her favour._

_She smiled the cold one sided smile of a contract killer, the skilful twist she made on her silencer confirmed it._

"_No bargaining huh? No begging? Well that's a breath of fresh air for once…" She went about slowly chambering a round knowing she could take her time with sending a cold red kiss to my skull._

_There was no heroic last moment rescue going to happen here. The only ones who knew I was even here were the cold valkrie and the stiff along for the ride in the corner. No breaking free at the last moment like a cops and robbers action star. The ropes were biting into my arms hacking bloody chunks from my skin to please their mistress._

"_Hey hold up in there! Got a call from the boss!"_

_The cold valkrie's blackberry lips pulled a frown the cold hard stare in her eyes sparking a white flame to my turn of luck. The gun clicked a tale of things to come, the valkrie storming out like hell was hot on her heels. My head felt two sizes too small for my brain, vengeful fire spilling out through my skull. The mercury was a thick cloud outside vengeful heathen gods sending their minions under the cover of the storm. The roar of the blizzard gave me enough cover to work at breaking the flimsy chair I was tied to. Cruel joke or not I was willing to run the risk of a hopeful second wind. The stubborn wood gave a loud crack like the many skulls that had been broken on it. I slumped on the dusty floor beaten battered and bruised, I felt like the chair I had broken to get free._

_They had dragged me back to some old stiffs manor, the kind that tells dead mans tales and reeks like it a thousand times more. In space no one can hear you scream…but who needs space when you have thick walls and a motley crew of cut throats. They had stripped of my trusty steel companion a new trophy for some wannabe mob boss. All I had were parts of the chair I had just broken to get free…still sticky with my own blood…_

My head spun the mono toned words sinking out into a mess of sound. I had been on autopilot, now awake to the world I couldn't help but feel cheated I had lost half a day according to the one o clock in the afternoon on the classroom clock. The class was busy scribbling something all their heads down as the master loomed at the front of the room. I glanced down at the paper…I was already dead…in my daze I had drawn random pictures on the edges of the page. I felt like digging my own grave after finding out what the paper was on 'Jenova and the creation of Soldier' …I let my head met the desk in force…a little too loudly since the class seemed to stop and look round at me. I smiled nervously and propped my head up on my hand trying to make it look like I had fallen asleep and my elbow had slipped…it didn't help that I could see Auron glaring daggers at me from the front of the class. The first question on the paper became very intresting at that point…so I ducked my head down and read as the class gradually lost interest.

_I am so screwed…_I had answered the first and second questions…but not with anything logical.

**Who was the founder and creator of Shinra?**

_SPY IZ NOT OUR SPY! _(several drawings of spy backstabing random characters)

**What is the process one undertakes to become SOLDIER?**

_Sandvich make me strong! _(picture of heavy weapons guy eating his sandvich.)

I grimaced. _Hope everyone will chip in to buy me a coffin and a plot at least…_ Much to my misfortune Auron had started collecting in the tests. With only two answers of gibberish and a random palette of drawings I didn't have much to go by. I bite my lip…waiting for the thrashing that was going to befall me.

Gippal was killing himself. "W-wh-what the hell were you thinking off?" He doubled over chest heaving from the solid thirty minutes of laughing he had done. It didn't help that half of the group had joined in with him laughing at me…

"Scout iz soo tiny! They're all so adorable!" Hitomi's cute little comment was enough to set Lulu off again. "How did you manage to draw on the ENTIRE answer spaces?"

Snow suddenly managed to compose himself and place a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry." He smiled encouragingly "Sandvich will make you strong!" He flexed then burst out laughing again along with the others. I twitched reminding myself that there was solid surface nearby and that repeated forceful contact with it could crack a human skull.

I looked to Yuna who had finished putting certain books away in her locker. Her eyes caught mine as she stood there her bicolored eyes…twitching? Her lips produced a rather peculiar sound…a farting noise? Yuna covered her mouth as it all became too much for her, she started laughing not able to hold it in anymore.

"…Thanks guys…thanks a bunch." I stalked off embarrassed that my friends were laughing at me. All I wanted to do now was get away to the next class and hope everyone forgot about it.

"That's the wrong way!" Gippal added much to my annoyance as he collapsed to his knees now writhing for breath.

"Ack awa an dinny talk pish!" The laughter roared.

Music…I was never good at it. Two new subjects had been added to our timetable this year, Music and another thing called Digital Artistry. Music I had the just of, which I was hoping to be a bit more involved in then my first year of high school. The memories were still slightly bitter the same irritating tune of wannabe guitarists with attitude problems. Digital Artistry…I didn't have the foggiest what that would consist of…maybe drawing on a computer? I dunno…doubt I would be any better at it then I was at music…which was terrible. The teacher was late, the long line of students waiting outside were getting restless. I could see some faces I recognised outside my group no one I had really talked to though…at least the ever-popular bitch squad was out of the picture. Behind me Hope was swaying on his heels followed up lastly by Lightning who was just leaning against the wall. In front was Paine that had been looking out for the teacher. In front of Paine were Yuna and Rikku talking about something I couldn't quite make out. In front of Yuna and Rikku was Baralai, who was busy looking through a spare text book - he had forgotten to put it away and was too lazy to walk back and put it in his locker. In front of Baralai were Gippal, Nooj, Fang, Vanille, Snow, Serah, Wakka, Tidus and Lulu who were all having a big discussion about music in general. Christie and Hitomi were just coming back from a toilet break and joined in at the back of the line. Suddenly there was a round of applause from the very front of the line, seemingly a student had fetched the keys to the classroom. The line was pouring in now. The students seemed to loss track of order as the line bottlenecked around the door and it became a small free for all to get inside first. I hung back a little not wanting to get caught in the maelstrom of things.

Once I got in my mouth almost dropped open. This was no class…it was more like a multi sectioned studio. Dozen apon dozens of instruments were placed neatly around the room, guitars, drums, keyboard, pianos, flutes anything you could have thought of they had – and had it in number. Soundproof booths were dotted around the area letting everyone have a little space to themselves for recording purposes or a quiet room to practice in. Already I could see Cloud getting dragged into a booth by Tifa and Riona, he wasn't too keen on singing the YMCA with them…or how his friend was egging him on to join in and have some fun. An amp managed to cut the silence of the room, Snow had found the electric guitars and was trying to strum out some epic jam of his…if you could call a jumble of random notes a 'epic jam' that is. Serah was clapping him on shouting for an encore…however Fang was a little ways of practising a swing at the back of Snows cranium with a violin in hand. I wandered further in realising I was still standing at the door looking like complete twit. I walked past the guitars, which every boy seemed to be picking up and the drum kits that Gippal was defending so ferociously from Nooj. It was something about how Nooj broke everything he touched and that if he played one they'd have no drum kits by the end of the year, the accused was understandably a little ticked off. I knew where I was headed…I knew what one I wanted out of all the others…the one that time never forgot. The Piano.

It felt something special standing there. True I hadn't the slightest idea what was really a song and noise on a piano. But still…I had always wanted to try and play one. Tentatively I lifted up the dark mahogany guard on the keys. The instrument letting out the slightest of noises…an approving noise even. And there they were…the ivory white and charcoal black keys…the ones that had bought so much musical wonder to others. I sat down on the fine leathered bench stool picturing a very different man sitting in my place in a very different time and place. I felt my fingers move toward the angelic keys a sense of curiosity coming over me. I needed to know. No…I had to know…what it was like…to sit here. The keys pushed down under my fingers as if they were made from the lightest of clouds. It was then…the most beautiful sound in the world sounded. A light note flickering on the sunset horizon…the magic of it was beyond me…words failed to describe the wonder of it. Compared to this, words were pale and grey, they were clumsy and heavy compared to something that was light and elegant. And as my fingers drew up – the magic was gone. Waiting. Waiting for the next press of the keys…so that the magic could continue.

"Do you play?" The voice lighter than a feather sent my heart into a panicked flutter. My arms wrenched back as I turned to the set of sky blues. Lightning sat down next to me on the leather bench, I budged over to give her some room.

Nervously I quickly scratched the back of my neck. "No I don't. I've never played before." I felt like a fool having sat there and only played a note. She must have thought I was some sort of piano weirdo.

Lightning just smiled her fingers starting to rest on the keys in front of her. "Do you recognise this one?" She found the notes and after a slight pause began to play.

The notes became a focus. They swirled as I ran them against the short list of songs I knew. _Dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun, Dun da da dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun, Da dun dun, Dun. _The rhythm held a haunting to it, a certain saddness…a certain elegance. I knew it before I even spoke it.

"The Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven." Lightning gave me a slightly bigger smile as she took her eyes of the keys momentarily. She continued playing a resound calmness falling over her.

"My mother." She paused playing another part of the symphony. "Before Serah came along. Showed me how to play." Again she played another part, taking time between her sentences. "She listened to a lot of classical piano pieces and I was always wanting to play with the keys of the piano when I was younger." The memory held some warmth to it, I could see it in the way the edges of her mouth peeked. "She started teaching me…it was nice being able to spend time with her. And even when she was close to having my little sister she still taut me." Lightning's timing on the keys was perfect as if she herself had written the piece. "Put your fingers on that key there…" Lightning pointed to a ivory white key in the middle. I did as told, she then pointed to another and then another and another. "Now when I nod at you, you're going to do this ok?" She pressed down on my fingers one at a time "_Dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun. _One two three, one two three, one two three." She almost sung it. "Think you can handle that?" I nodded, Lightning sat up straight her fingers resting on the keys again. "Right. On three. One…two…three" She nodded at me.

_One two three, one two three, one two three._ Lightning started after a few presses of my keys…I could hear it. It was there. She had given me the melody, something to start on, something that was all equally important as the rest. Not just one key to press on mindlessly. _One two three, one two three, one three two, two three one._ The song blundered the magic cracking like glass in a frail mirror.

Lightning chuckled beside me "That was good! A lot better than when I first tried it. Well done!" You could see she was generally happy about it, Lightning patted me on the shoulder as she took over all the keys again. "My mother and I use to do that as often as we could. She use to give me those three keys to play every time." She smiled the thought warming up her features loosening her stature. "I always use to ask when I would be able to play more! 'Mummy I want more than just these stupid notes!' Mother just use to smile at me. 'You need to learn to walk before you can run sweety.' I never use to understand what she meant, I use to think she was just wanting more keys to herself." Lightning chuckled softly to herself smile growing. "Shall we try again?" I nodded, Lighting made room for me again. "On three. One…two…three."

Again we played together. It was slightly easier than before.

"I remember playing for Serah sometimes. Whenever she couldn't sleep, if she had a nightmare or something. She would come into my room and get me up. Then we'd go downstairs to the living room and I'd play the piano for her in till she fell asleep." Lightning paused on her keys, I swithered unsure weither to continue…she looked like she had remembered something best left forgotten. "Even…even after our parents died…I still played for Serah. Sometimes…it wasn't always for just her…" Lightning started playing again slower than normal, then she started to speed up back to normal speed. "I guess…that's why I like piano…most of all. It holds more than a set of drums or guitar ever could for me." Ironically Serah was on a drum set in the background, Snow and Gippal were trying to show her the 'proper' drumming technique. Lightning made this little approving sound "You're doing well." She smiled at me continently.

I smiled. "I have a good teacher." Lightning seemed to take comfort from it.

"When you learn those three keys…I'll give you some more to play." Lightning smiled. Happy.

"There they are!" Gippal had beat the swarm of students leaving the class at the end. Lightning and I had taken time to leave the piano as we found it, the block of students had given her time to talk to me more about the piano. "So how are you Mr and Mrs Smith?" I saw Lightning's eye twitch at the remark.

"You got married sis?" Snow looked confused he hadn't been paying much attention. He'd been too busy being cutesy with Serah.

"…I didn't know that if two people of the opposite sex spent time playing the piano together, that it meant they were married." Lightning didn't look amused at all she didn't sound amused either…Gippal put his hands up in mock surrender. And quite wisely, backed off. He went over to the others his attempt at fun ruined. "So any other creative hobbies then?" Lightning's question took me by surprise.

"Uh…I do some writing ever now and then." She looked genuinely interested when I told her.

"What do you write about?" We started to move on to the next class, Lightning walked beside me her attention firmly on our conversation.

"Uh I wrote a lot of horror, use to write humour…I even had this series I was doing but…Ah it doesn't really matter now. I find it hard to write these days."

"How so?" I thought about Lightning's question…and found a tangled ball of answers to it.

"I don't really know. Back then, it just seemed like the words use to flow you know, everything seemed to fit. But…a couple of months back…my confidence in my writing took a hit. It got harder…the ideas didn't seem to come by as often anymore. I even tried taking a break from my writing…but it never worked." There were things I didn't say, things I was unsure about. Things I thought were just doubt…but they stood there all the same…and I couldn't just sweep them away.

"It sounds like you doubt yourself." Something clicked, Lightning had hit it on the head. She knew it – I knew it. "Sounds like you doubt yourself more than anything to be honest. That the words use to have color and depth to them but now they are dull and grey. Maybe even that you had found something your good at…and then you've let a little mistake that another has pointed out bring you down." Lightning walked closer to me putting a hand on my shoulder. "I think you just need to remember why you started writing in the first place."

Her words managed to lift the curtain just a little. I had always had a bad habit of holding myself back by doubting whatever I did. I _had_ let one little thing bring me down…

"Thanks Lightning…" I felt that light spark re-ignite itself things long forgotten started to yawn, set dust falling off them.

Lightning smiled "It's just Light to my friends." Light really had a way with words, she had that effect that she could make others stronger. A natural leader. But it hadn't come without hardship…she had stayed strong for a long time – for someone who couldn't be strong.


	17. The Dark Cabin

(Back with another chaper! So soon? I know! What's wrong with me? D: It's madness! Anyway, forgive me for the shortness of this chapter, I was stuck on this one for ages and it definatly shows. The next chapter will be something special! :D But don't hold your breath for it as I'm thinking it's going to be rather lengthy...maybe even longer depending on what I feel is right. So enjoy folks! And I'll catch ya around! :D)

The Dark Cabin

We had followed the line of other students for some time now. Though I had started to suspect that everyone was following everyone else, the turns were jagged and unsure. Lightning and Hope had had me busy thinking about other things up in till now, though my once chatty company were now frantic with worry. I knew Lightning played piano though Hope had struck me from the blue. He was a poet. He always carried a notebook with him that he would use to jot down ideas and short verses. He had a way of bending words…he managed to paint a rhythmic picture in your head with few words. It was something that I as a part time writer…was jealous off.

It made me think back to the summer. Where I sat day and night trying to write a story. At first, I had been afraid that my ideas would be slated…that no one would like my work. I was proven wrong, and after - worked feverishly with too many an idea. The ideas began to stick as time passed…stick in a dark place. Things happened…I began to doubt my work…the stories became less about the adventure and more of me dealing with personal problems. Finally…I slipped into the dark…the ideas stopped…and I felt myself wither away. That was two years ago…I hadn't been able to write a word since. Every idea was flawed in some way, the imaginary editor in my head scrapped ideas left and right. I would sit for hours staring at a blank screen the will to write there…but the ideas locked away somewhere beyond my reach. It was like I was being smothered, deprived of the things I wanted I became weak…I doubted myself…I doubted my work.

Two years…

Two years is a long time to want to write…

The line rounded another blind corner an unknown teacher was standing by the door to somewhere. She started some speak about being late, I didn't pay attention I was too caught up in my own thoughts. I was still trapped in that cabin in the dark…screaming to get out.

"Away to another place are we?" The voice banished the foggy view from the cabin window. I was staring into a pair of cold blue eyes rimmed by a pair of fancy silver glasses. The woman pulled away neatly bunned blonde hair sitting to the right side of her head. "I can tell the artistes from the riff raf! Unfortunately you fall into the day dreamer category." I didn't know if I should of felt compliment or insulted by her comment. She had the 'higher than thou' air about her and the curves and bust of drop dead femme fatale. The black and white chequered sweater, black high heels and the skin tight fit leather trousers pushed home the wannabe artist feel to her. "Jihl Nabaat is my name. And I shall find those among you that have the SPARK! For art!" With that she ushered everyone inside…as quick as she could.

I had never been able to understand the way of pen and paper…but something felt familiar about the graphics tablet. I was no master, I wasn't even half way decent…but with some minutes practice I became attune to my new companion. A small light had been opened in that dark place…something I could hold onto for the time being. One line began two, three lines became seven. Before I had realised it I had created something on screen. It wasn't like the basic doodles Gippal was drawing next to me, or the well refined figure Christie was drawing. No. It was…different. I had wondered where the idea had came from. The pictures form was twisted, torn flesh and a bare spine. The one eye still connected to the skull was glazed over but felt as if it was staring through me. It was like something from a twisted nightmare…something twisted and unique that had came from me.

"Oh merciful Fal'cie!" The keyboard was seized from me. "Young man we do not draw THAT sort of stuff in THIS classroom!" I true drama queen fashion Miss Nabaat went about deleting my work in a few key presses. "My word child you must be touched in the head to think up this **monstrosity**" She was making a fuss to gain the classes attention, making an 'example' of what art wasn't. I switched off.

I retreated into myself a skill I had learned to perfect in my early years of life. I had always had a flare for the imagination. I liked to build up places and characters in my head. And I had found as I got older my taste for things changed. Like any other inner child I had a place where there be dragons, I had a places within that world that had started small…but became larger as I grew. It had started with a castle, then around that castle grew mountains and then the seas that stretched across and around those. The people that lived within that world…not all were happy as in life. Some were rich nobles with infinte wealth, some were noble Knights…and some were poor and sick. It may have been a time long since past our history…a place were fantasy and adventure sprung from. But it was still trying to be as real as it could be. But there was one world…young and new…that broke those rules…and it was a place no one would want to tread.

I came back to the classroom as if having turned a good book shut. The class were still working some having to tolerate Miss Nabaat hanging over their shoulder. I blinked trying to regain myself, mind still hazing from the place I had entered. I found myself staring at a blank screen…it reminded me of a very different blank screen…got me thinking about a flickering line on the page. The darkness had crept in on me…the white screen began to screech at me, burning my eyes, making my head hurt. Ideas became painful coals in my brain, burning through the membrane shrivelling the creative spirit. Once again I found myself trapped in that same dark cabin…unable to leave.

"Don't let it bother you." Hitomi stooped beside me. "She's going around slating everyones' work. Anyway! Here!" She handed be a piece of paper, I turned it over…she'd drawn me something. It was a picture of me and her, small cuter versions of us anyway. Hitomi was holding a spare light bulb above my head, it was light up. She looked extremely happy features abound with sheer joy. Her own light bulb was light. I was looking up at the light bulb above my head a very absent look across my features, as if I had been taken by the suddenness of it all. My own light bulb was fused out and discarded uselessly in a corner, a small robot seemed to be making repairs on it though. "You'll get back up on your feet! I'm sure of it!"

That dark cabin seemed a little lighter now…I felt like I could just find the staircase now. "Thank you Hitomi." I fought back the strong urge to give her a hug, last thing I wanted to do was embarrass her in front of the entire class.

She gave me a sweet smile her cheeks and nose turning a small shade of red. Hitomi went back to her seat across the room leaving me to take another stab at this whole 'Art' thing. I learnt quickly that saving was the best option, Miss Nabaat had a bad habit of not being able to get ride of all your work all in one go. So it made the undo feature a very risky bet to place your hopes in. The class got cut short earlier than scheduled though…Fang and Miss Nabaat had a slightly heated discussion about Fang's choice in clothing. It ended with the later being put into a headlock and five well built students to get the enraged warrior women off her.

"Stupid snobby little!" Fang kicked back hard, Snow who was holding her up by the arms from behind took the blow with ease. "GET AFFA ME!" Snow pulled her pull taking away her support for another hard kick. She was left cycling in the air.

"Fang would you just calm down already?" Snow had very bravely…or very stupidly tried to calm Fang down by himself. She had managed to throw the five students holding her back off her with ease…though Snow was somehow managing by himself.

"I'LL CALM DOWN WHEN I SHOVE THAT PENCIL UP HER NOSE TILL IT GOES CLICK!" Fang somehow managed to fit another hard back kick in even with no balance. Snow didn't flinch as the kick connected, he did go a little red in the face from where Fang had hit him though…no man could escape pain from getting hit there.

"She only commented on your clothes…geez. You could use some more colour in your wardrobe though." Gippal dodged a kick aimed at his head and a rather loud obscenity from Fang.

"…Snow…" The warrior woman growled "…put…me…down…" The air went icy cold I could see Gippal thinking about running for his life. "…Snow…" Fang growled again.

Something between a cry and a whimper emitted itself from Snows large stature. "If I let you go…will you promise not to kill anyone?"

Fangs eye were already two steel green arrows aiming right for Gippal's heart. "…I promise." Her tone was surprisingly calm.

"Pleeeeaase don't hurt anyone Fang!" Vanille held her hands in front of her in a praying motion.

"I won't Vanille!" Fang immediately defused like someone had just pushed the abort button on her. Snow let her down, she skilfully landed on her feet like a cat.

Fang dusted herself off like a nobleman who was always thinking about his suit. "So if I'm not mistaken. We don't have any classes for the rest of the day." Rikku, like me, scratched her head.

"Classes are cancelled for the Botanical Garden opening this afternoon. We have three hours to fill though." I gave Yuna this bewildered look, like a two year old being taught astrophysics. "…I meant to tell everyone…but I forgot." She shyly looked at the floor obviously quite embarrassed at her own mishap.

Fang smiled quite smugly "I have the perfect thing to kill two hours!"

I had followed Fang and the others down a path that we had been walking regularly. Once again the door to the VR room stood in front of me mundanely. I was getting tired of stepping into that white room so regular like clockwork. Like a badly written plot twister for a twenty-year-old drama series. Fang seemed to notice my rather dimmed look I was giving the doorframe. She promptly put a hang on my shoulder giving me a very reassuring rock.

"Will be fun. I promise!" She smiled. Walking through the door. Something had replaced the mundane white…long pods like something from a sci-fi movie littered the area. "Welcome to…uh…whatever they're all playing."

"It's a interactive simulator…" Shinra appeared on cue. "It's a one day thing…" Snow gave a very dumbfounded expression. "…You'll see when you play…"

"Hey! Hey! Then let's get going then!" Snow grabbed Sarah running off into the rows of pods like toddler in a sweety store.

Fang turned to us, an amused look to her. "Shall we then?" She passed her arms toward the bewildering site.

Shinra lead us on our way into the unknown. I walked behind taking in the bewildering site. Faces contained behind glass, sleeping…it was like watching the opening of Aliens except the pods wouldn't open anytime soon. Shinra stopped by some empty sleep chambers, Snow had already been pushing buttons for a while when we came over. I watched as we walked round the selection, watching as everyone choose their own. Second last I finally worked up the courage to lay down in one of the pods. The single slit of glass stared out into the white void the white lid slowly slid shut trapping me in my ivory prison. I stirred unsure the cold stiff surrounding of the machine chilling my spine to the bone. Then came a feeling of euphoria a slight tiredness that extended into boundless energy…it felt the metal at my back turn brittle and shatter. I stood upright now, not at the slant I was.

_Welcome, new user 213, please choose your preferred program._

I blinked confused. Like magic a yellow, green, blue and brown coloured rings popped up from the floor. Green had 'Civillian' titled above it, yellow was 'Lawyer', brown was 'Detective and blue as 'Police Patrolman'.

_Please note: Only 2 detectives per group may be selected. Starting parameters may upgrade or downgrade depending on player actions._

"DIBS!" Gippal and Baralai jumped out from behind me as they landed on the Detective designator area. I found it almost hard to believe they where dressed in their usual clothing.

"Hey no fair!" Rikku was only a short ways behind. Dressed in her usual attire

She stomped her foot as the ring gave a loud beep barring her from entry with see-through shielding. Gippal pulled a face at her from behind the glass…Rikku rather explosively punched the shielding. I cringed as her hand cracked on the impact.

"Impressive ain't it?" Fang stood beside me, like the others she looked the same. I blinked at her stupidly. "What? Expecting someone else?"

My brain ground to a halt. "Are we inside a machine?"

"BINGO!" Fang smiled putting an arm on my shoulder. "Not a fast as I had hoped but you got there in the end! Yeah this is an experimental VR they're testing out. Truth be told I was going to invite you guys to a round of AC: Brotherhood but when I caught wind of this I thought 'why not.' Ya know?" I gawked at her. "Speechless?" Fang chuckled like a best friend you'd just given a long lifetime wish to.

I looked down at my hands. "But I can still feel everything." Fang's smile grew.

"Yeah mate that's what happens! Now come on! We're holding up the game here." I looked up at all the others in their designated rings.

Hitomi, Wakka, Tidus, Rikku, Vanille and Hope had taken the civilian option. Gippal and Baralai had stolen the detective option. Lightning, Lulu, Yuna had the lawyer option. Snow, Serah and Paine were in the police patrolman option. All but the patrolman and the civilian rings were shielded leaving me only one of two choices. Fang headed over to Paine as did I, Fang gave me a pat on the shoulder for coming with her.

_Simulation beginning…_


	18. Lost Property

(Its been a really long time hasn't it? Yes, too long a time I think. Be warned, this chapter if VERY different from any chapter you've read in this story. It also has parts of a major crossover, if you don't like that sort of thing then I suggest you don't read it. But, if you do or just don't mind at all then. Welcome! I hope you enjoy yourself! :D If you are confused in the beginning please don't worry, everything is explained in this chapter. AND you should treat this chapter as it's OWN story. It does tie in, and will tied into furture chapters of this story. So sit back, relax. And enjoy! -Ice)

Lost Property

The whiteness never ceased, I found myself staring into the bottomless white void that glared like a thousand suns. The ground stayed stable underneath my feet…no movement, no change, no warmth. My skin felt no simulated breath of air…my eyes saw no simulated landscape. A shiver ran down my spin, a feeling of dread washing over me as I felt no other presence's around me. Something had gone wrong…I should have been in game by now.

_Handicap perimeters dropped to 0%_

_Warning…unknown program detected._

_Warning…program corruption detected._

"Lost?" Came a voice from the white void.

Before a thought could process I felt my body freeze, my arms dropping by my sides like limbs on a puppet. My head became warped with pain, my vision swayed pain overwriting any sort of thought or action. I felt my body contort unnaturally, nerve endings firing. The pain in my head increased, I felt something twist in my brain…that's when I finally processed what had happened. Something had pierced through my skull…something was tinkering in my head…and I had no means of defense.

"Aw. Don't worry. I have some use for you. I just need to make…some adjustments first." The outline of something briefly came into voice, the mechanised voice hiding some twisted form of delight. "For now…sleep." I felt whatever was in my head twist, violently…and then the pain stop, along with everything else.

…

…_System reboot in effect…_

…_Core systems…100%…_

…_Navigation system…100%…_

…_Emotional capacity at…1.5%_

…_Emotional protection at…100%…_

…_Memory protection at…100%…_

…_Restoration systems at…100%…_

…_Firewall program at…100%…_

…_Weapons systems at…100%…_

…_Flight systems at…100%…_

…_Visual analysis at…100%…_

…_Program parameters…revised…_

…_Confirming new parameters…_

…_Audio processor online…_

…_Program parameters…confirmed…_

…_Booting visual input…_

…_Initial Boot Cycle Complete…_

The world snapped in. The dusty backstreets of an old looking city, the tiled pavement was covered in a slight cloud of dusty sand. Packs of people dressed in various ways moved between stalls selling various goods. Some were dressed in long colourful robes sporting overly designed hoods and staffs. Others were carrying various types of swords, maces, axes, pistols and rifles. Some were dressed in various armours others dressed in regular clothing of differing level of tastes.

"_Boot cycle complete. Unit is now operational_." The sweet soft voice carried no hint of emotion.

"Wow!" A young boy stepped back tilting a red wizards hat up from his eyes.

"She's a type one model, Lilith. First generation Guardian. Supports the dread fire repeaters and a fully integrated command system. She'll do anything you tell her to!" The gruff voice came from behind, a woman's voice.

The kid beamed a smile. "Wow she's so awesome! And you're just giving her too me?" His high pitched voice rung with excitement, though suddenly his expression changed. "Though I don't like the hair or eye colour. And you make her blonde with blue eyes? And have a bigger rack?" There was a huff from behind.

"I'm giving her to you _for free_…I don't think you can complain about anything. Besides pink hair and green eyes suit a pretty girl I think! Her breasts are fine! But if you are really that keen to see some much flesh kid I'd suggest spending some gold on some nice perverted clothes for her. But first. Lilith!" My head turned to the left, the gruff voice belonging to a blue skinned elf with silver eyes and two scars criss-crossing across her temples. "Begin bounding program, target due south west!"

My vision returned to the boy. "_Binding program beginning…_" A chain materialised from a large choker around my neck, the end of the chain wound round the boys right hand…much to his surprise. "_Binding program complete, this unit now acknowledges this one as her __**master**_."

"There ya go kid! You're all set now!" The blue skinned elf walked past placing a hand on the young boys shoulder. She smiled in her blacksmith looking overalls. "I'll leave Lilith to fill in on the rest! Try not to have too much fun ok!" The woman then looked at me. "Take care Lilith! Be a good girl now!" She grinned happily before walking off, she stopped just before a nearby pillar to wave goodbye then disappeared into the crowds.

I blinked blanky…not feeling anything. My eyes returned to my master, who was tugging at the binding chain around his hand. "_Master?_"

The boy looked up at me being several inches smaller he was lucky if he had reached up past my thighs. "Yeah yeah! Look I'm your master now! So that means you have to do EVERTHING I tell you to do ok?" Master turned away from me "First thing is I need to visit my guildies and find out how recruiting is going! Then! I'm buying you some girly clothes because your ones suck!"

I looked down at what I was wearing. I had long brown boots that carried up half to my knees, they had a white impenetrable leg guards attached to them. Above the boots was a white and black mini skirt. The top I was wearing was cut low on the breast line showing a good amount of cleavage, a small area around my stomach was cut out to show of my belly button. The back of the top was cut out completely to make way for the large pair of white wings on my back. Two large white detachable shoulder pads protected my shoulders. My arms were sporting forearm guards that cut of just below my elbows. The sensors on either side of my head faked into a headband across my shoulder length pink hair. It looked back again at master through the green lens I saw the world through…readings displayed as small things were logged onto knowledge databases.

"_Yes master._" I stepped toward with him the chain from my choker drawing down to and around his much smaller hand. He gave a small tug as I mismatched his speed.

Master walked in the and around the large numbers of people. I watched as they talked to each other in different voices. Three I saw were using a loud voice as the talked back and forth to each other sometimes cutting each other off. Others I saw talking to each other quietly, some talked as master did. Some took a way of talking I liked most of all…their words came softly to one another…it was this form of talking I saw mostly people smile to…masters home was very strange. Master lead me out of the busy streets and into another place. I watched on as people brought ovals of liquids to large more chipped ovals. They would sit on things and talk to each other in different voices…like none of the voices I had heard master speak in or heard on the street. Master made his way to a door. He knocked on it.

"Hey! Headshot! Open up it's me!" He hammered his hand on the door. A few seconds passed then he hammered on the door with his hand again. "HEY HEADSHOT! F'ING OPEN UP! IT'S ME YOU F'ING IDIOT!" Masters voice changed tones several times, his face became red. "HEADSHOT! IF YOU DON'T OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT F'ING NOW! AM GONNA BURN THE F'ING THING DOWN KICK YOU A AND BOOT YOU OUTTA MY GUILD!" Masters hands filled with fire as he took a step back from the door.

"Ok! Ok!" There came squeaky voice then a click from the door, the fire in masters hand vanished. A dirty face peeked round the edge of the door a small tin helmet crowning it. "I was AFK you didn't have to shout so much, my mum could kick me off you know." Master huffed turning to me.

"Get inside Lilith." He pointed his staff toward the small door, I bowed then did as told going inside the room. When I cleared the frame I turned again to master who was just coming through the now closing door. "Go take a seat on those pillows over there. Don't talk ok. Just stay quiet and sit there. Got it?"

"Yes maste-"

"I SAID BE QUIET YOU F'ING IDIOT!" Master raised his voice again, it lowered at one point before coming high pitched again. "THAT MEAN SHUT THE F'ING HELL UP! DON'T SAY ANYTHING UNLESS I TALK TO YOU! GOT IT?" _…Order confirmed…_ "Good." Master sighed sitting down at the ovel like some of the other people that were in the room with him.

"Who's the girl anyway SkullKing?" A much lowerish voice came from somewhere in the room, I spotted the owner easily after sitting on the pillow pill as master had instructed. He had long messy brown hair and was dressed in leather armour with a large sword strapped to his back. "Did you get some girl to be your GF? How much gold did you pay her?" The person laughed at master.

"Shut the f'ing hell up Dillan! I bought her from some freaky looking elf chick that said she would do anything I wanted her to!"

Dillan's eyes perked at this, he looked at me for a small period of time then to master. "You mean like a slave?"

"Nah!" Master waved his hand. "She's just some stupid programmed AI I've been stuck with. She's a real ditz…like one of those stupid animy chicks from those cartoons. She only talks in one stupid voice as well." Master turned to me. "Say something Lilith."

"_Something."_

"See? She never sound any different!" Master hit his head on the ovel he was sat at. "Just that same stupid f'ing voice ALL THE TIME! It's driving me CRAZY!"

"You mean 'Anime' Skullking." Headshot's squeaky voice corrected master.

"WHATEVER!" Master hit his head on the oval again. Masters friend Dillan had wandered over during all this. He now stood in front of me…he prodded at my face.

"Aw man! Head! Come over here and feel this!" Headshot wandered over. "She feels so real!" Dillan pulled my left check along with this other person. There then came a prod in the chest. "Aw man! They should have given her a bigger rack! DUDE THIS SO AWESOME! I want one! How much to buy her off you?"

"DUDE! F OFF! THERE IS NO WAY I'M SELLING HER TO YOU!" Master stood up on the oval now, stamping his foot. "NOW GET AWAY FROM MY BEEYATCH AND TELL ME HOW RECRUITING IS GOING!" Masters friends left me alone, they returned to the table with him.

"Hey one last thing before we start?" Master looked at Headshot, his face going red again.

"What?" He growled.

"What's with the chain around your hand man?" Master looked at the binding chain.

"Oh yeah! You know I'm not very sure myself…that freaky elf chick never told me anything about it." Master turned to me. "Hey Lilith? Is there anyway I can get this chain of my hand? It's kinda…uncomfortable. If you know what I mean."

I nodded. I touched the choker around my neck, the chain around masters hand vanished leaving only a small amount of chain attached to the choker. Master looked strangely at me his young face full of mystery.

"DUDE! She's magic! You got a magic servant girl!" Dillan shot up "Who was this person! Have you got her on your friends list? Can you ask her to make one of these for me too? Dude! Please ask her to make me one!" He was shaking master by now, a huge smile on his face.

"DUDE!" Master peeled Dillans hands off him. "STOP F'ING SHOUTING AT ME! YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME-What? NO!" Master sat still, his friend released him moving across to the other side of the room. "….Mum I was just talking to my friends! No mum! NO! I don't want to come off! …But mum! I…I just got this cool new trinket!…MUM!…No….no…mum…mum I don-….fine….Guy's I gotta go."

"Oh dude!" Dillan pipped up. "Just tell your mum to! –what? No dad! NO! I still have five minutes left! NO! DAD! I HAVE FIVE MINTU-" Dillan suddenly disappeared into thin air…master along with him. I felt a slight feeling of lose come over me…nothingness.

"Sooo…" Headshots squeaky voice peeked up after a second of silence. "With Skullking gone. Does that mean I can be your master instead?" He went red in the face.

I stared at him, searching protocol. "_No. Only if master were to die…could this one be bound to another master. I will wait…in till master returns._" He done a strange thing afterwards. He made…this unknown noise. 'Huffing' it is referred to by humans. Masters world and people…were a strange place.

The door to the room opened the hinges screaming as they hit against the stone wall. In stepped a tall, broad man. His skin was icy pale as if he had not spent a day in the sun for years. His hair was jet black and well maintained, it bushed up and outward instead of growing towards his shoulders. His eyes were a vibrant orangy red as if he had replaced his own eyes with ones taken from a monster. He was dressed in smart attire, a long white shirt overlapped with a crimson waistcoat. Long black business trousers and black finely polished dress shoes. His hands were covered by white gloves with some sort of pentacle drawn into them.

"…What's all the noise in here about…" This voice sent an apparent chill down the younger boys spine. His voice was commanding and maybe even 'sinister'. I watched as the young boy went into a slight flutter then snapped still for a second only to fade away in front of me as master had done. This man then looked at me, his smile suddenly peeking. "Why are you sitting there like a lost little pub girl?" His tone of voice changed, deep curiosity taking root in his voice.

"_Without Master I have no purpose. This one will wait here in till Master returns_." My sensors ran over the man as he came over to where I was sitting on the pillows. Readings spiking all over the place. He took a knee beside me his smile growing even more, corners of his mouth peeking unnaturally.

"Ah." His intrigued tone held steady. "You're a Guardian. An A.I that follows and protects a user based on nothing more than the fact that you are told to do so. A puppet…without the will to think." His tone changed to a mocking one. "So…little puppet girl. Will you just sit in till the end of time like the others? To collect dust and be recycled as scrap metal like all the other 'Masers' did to their puppets?" I blinked my lenses.

"_I am no 'puppet'…I am a Guardian, type one model, Lilith. My purpose is to serve and protect Master_." The mans smiled seemed to grow even more.

"Loyal. As expected from an A.I" His tone went back to intrigued. "But there is something we have in common. We both have 'Masters' so from one servant to another. Can you Guardian, type one, Lilith…Serve your Master…or be used like a puppet?"

"…_This one…has a Master?_" The man bowed gentlemanly.

"My Master is Integra Hellsing, owner of this tavern. I am her servant Alucard." He suddenly looked up at me, a sense of challenge behind his eyes. "And you are Lilith. Puppet to a child, who will never see your true potential." His voice asked questions…questions the data never held answers to…parts of my system I was protected from accessing. "You have wings. Why don't you fly away…and find yourself a master who is worthwhile." Alucard stood fully upright, this smile on his face…a smile I couldn't place. Like he had told me something without actually saying it…I just hadn't picked up on it yet.

"Alucard!" The stern voice came from outside the door. "Alucard what in blazes is going on in here?" In stepped a woman, dressed smartly in a white shirt with a small ribbon tie, a smart oval jacket draped over her shoulders. A matching oval business skirt accompanied by dress heels and a pair of black tights. Her long blonder arched at the top of her hairline, the left side standing higher than the others. Her cold blaze blue grey eyes growled at the world through her round glasses. Suddenly those eyes caught me. "Alucard?" Her outraged tone dropped to a calmer one. "Who is this girl?"

"This girl is Lilith. A Guardian who has been thrown off by her so called kid 'Master'…who was by all means kicked off his computer by his mother." Integra's sight never left me.

"Hmpf. Damn children and there idiotic toys." Miss Integra marched over to me, grabbing me arm she hauled me to my feet. "Your 'Master' has wasted my time and patience. As far as I see it, you'll work for me on the bar to make up for it." She pulled my arm higher up a small smile gracing her lips "And I have the perfect outfit in mind for you to do it in."

I was lead out of the room sharpishly by Miss Integra, she lead me upstairs to another room my sensors picked up to be her 'office'. There she collected some clothing, closed the door and proceeded to dress me. After that she brought me back downstairs to where Alucard was standing behind some dark wooden block and handing out ovals of liquid. She told me to help him man the 'bar' and make sure the customers got their 'drinks'. My clothes had been switched to a pair of black heeled shoes, a pair of knee high stockings and a black tavern maids dress with a white apron. I blinked, Masters world was strange. I stood and watched as other people sat and talked to each other. The pale wooden panelling stood out from the mundane of the roughly cut stone block walls. The main floor was littered with 'table' after 'table' of happy 'customers', the second floor was the same but rather cramped in comparison. The wooden railing upstairs were polished to a mere shine providing a sturdy handrail for anyone trying to squeeze past tables on the second floor. A grand chandelier hung in the centre of it all giving the place a rather old tavern feel to it. The numerous candles and torches on tables and walls enforced the theme. The 'bar' Alucard stood at was made of darker wood. It had gold engravings of a grand design on the front of it and was polished to a mere shine. He had all sorts of taps and faucets attached to the table, which when he would on would spill out foamy liquid from it. Behind him were shelves upon shelves of differently shaped bottles that contained liquid in them. Alucard gave me this strange look. Like a lot of other people did when walking through the streets outside with Master.

"You're not exactly like all the other Guardians are you?" He lent on the bar, intrigue peeking in his voice as small wide smile playing his features. "You have hardly any knowledge of the world around you. Like a new born struggling to breath in it's first moments of infancy…your seeking answers to the world around you." He extended his usually long arm right arm toward me. "Allow me to become your 'Master' so that you might better understand this world around you!"

_**Warning!**_

_Conflict detected._

"…_Conflict detected…"_ His smile softened, the hand of his right arm rested gently on my head.

"I see." He gently rustled my hair. "You're bound to obey. Taught not to think or even feel for yourself."

"Angels can break free from cages." There came Miss Integra's voice sharply from the bar. "I assume that's why you were given wings Lilith. To fly far away from those that would cage you?" Her glasses shone blocking out her eyes. "And right now your caged…but the door to that cage is open." She gently nudged a tray with a pair of drinks that was sitting on the bar. "Your welcome to stay here as long as you want. But. There are two gentleman that ordered these drinks…they have been too busy sitting at their table reading their book that they've forgot to pick them up. I think it would be best you took them to them." Alucard had let go off my head by now. Miss Integra sat on one of the bar stool eyes focused on me like they had before. My coding came into effect, I bowed.

"Yes. Master." I felt a hand fall on my head. I stood up again to find Miss Integra copying the motion her servant Alucard had just finished.

"I am not your Master, Lilith." Her glasses revealed her eyes, which had softened slightly. "I'm just your friend."

_**We're friends right**?_

_**We can't be together…but we can still be friends.**_

_Program breach._

_Reset._

A fiery pain shot through my skull. Gnawing me to the bone it left me with nothing again. I felt my body go ridged as the pain shot through, my various sensors and alarms sprung to life. Displaying orders and restrictions. And as quickly as it came…the feeling past.

"Lilith?" Miss Integra came down to my eye level. I found myself staring for a few seconds before my body would react. "Why are you crying?" It was then I felt the hot stings of the tears running down my face. I searched the databases…but found no answers to the strange glitch that had happened. Emotional restrictions were still at 100%.

Without a word I took the tray while drying my own eyes. I would carry out the order given to me…while I waited for Master to retur-for Master Integras wishes to be fulfilled. I squeezed through the aisles between the tables…I reduced my wings to a smaller size as to not annoy anyone. My navigation system had placed a waypoint on the table with the ordered drinks, I came over to the two customers sitting at the designated table. I stood, unwilling to disturb their persistence of reading and note taking. One was tall and dressed in a suit of armour. The other was much shorter, he was mostly dressed in black, that being a black smart looking shirt and pair of black leather trousers and black boots. He covered his hands like Alucard did, though his white gloves bore no symbols on them. His light blonde hair was braided into a ponytail that was bound with a red bow. His yellow eyes stared determined at the book and several pages of notes in front of him.

"Oh!" The armoured figured had stopped reading to notice me. The voice echoing out was young…though maybe just slightly older than-

_**Hey Rik! Their all asking what you want to ea-what the hell are you eating?**_

_**Flan! Hey! You want a bite?**_

_**BLAH! NO WAY!**_

_Reset_

I felt myself jumped slightly, as if I was caught unaware in the middle of a shutdown cycle.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you." The boy waved his hand around apologetically. "Brother. The drinks are here." The boys brother made a strange murmured sound. "ED!" His brother broke from his concentration, startled he almost fell back of his chair.

"Christ Al! ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A HEARTATTACK?" A vain stood out on his forehead, he obviously didn't like being startled.

"I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO SHOUT AT YOU IF YOU HAD BEEN PAYING ATTENTION BROTHER!" The two flew into a heated argument.

I blinked. 'Paying attention' was an undefined sentence. "_Paying attention?_" The two brothers broke from their argument small looks of confusion on their faces.

"Not paying attention. You know? Like when someone speaks to you and you don't quite take in what they are saying?" Ed sat back in his chair. "Oh wait!" His face light out with realisation "I forgot to go pick up those drinks from the bar!" I hurried to his feet "Hand on Al I'll just be a m-"

"Brother they've been brought to us." Al pointed a finger towards me, Ed blinked blankly.

"Oh." He sat down look rather embarrassed. "Sorry!" He rubbed the back of his head. "We both get so wrapped up in these books I guess we just forget what time it is!" Ed laughed a little, then put a thumbs up toward himself. "Forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Edward Elric! This is my brother Alphones Elric!"

"Nice to meet you!" Alphones bowed slightly as Edward took the drinks from the tray. "I bet you can't tell who's the younger brother right?"

_Scanning._ "_Older brother." _I pointed at Edward. "_Younger brother."_ I pointed at Alphones. Edward promptly spat his drink out in surprise.

"Please bigger brother. He's so use to being pinned as the younger brother because of his height. I don't think he quite believes it!" There came a slight echoing laugh from the suit. Soft and cheerful it still managed to stand out over the rasping coughing from Edward.

"So how did you make that assumption? Not gonna go on height like the rest of them?" Edward sat back slinging an arm over the top of the chair. He had a challenge of fire behind his eyes.

I blinked. "_My biological scanners show that Edward Elric is the older brother. And that Alphones Elric is the younger brother._" I seconded checked the readings. "_Are my readings wrong? Age is based on height?_" There was silence after my question. The brothers started at me. Suddenly Edward burst out laughing.

"You're a strange one! Acting like some sort of android!" His laugh held some happiness to it.

"Brother! That's rude!" Alphones tones went to scolding. "She was nice enough to bring us our drinks! And you just make fun of he-…Wait" Alphones turned his head to me, he scratched his helmet. "I'm sorry to ask this. But I don't know what to call you. What's your name?"

Again I blinked. "_This units name is Lilith. Type one model Guardian._"

"Oh. Well that explains a lot then." Edward put his drink back down on the table away from his lips. "Guardians are AI constructs right? So no wonder you haven't smiled or showed any expressions." Ed raised his drink nearer his lips. "I was sitting here wondering why you were just standing there that blank look on your face. Not cracking a smile to two goofballs like us." He took a swing of whatever he was drinking then placed it back down on the table. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you if I did." He smiled at me.

I shook my head a little. "_This unit did not take offence to Edward Elrics comment._"

"Ed." Edward put in afterward. "You can just call us Ed and Al. There's no need to call us by our full names." He grinned happily. Alphones across from him nodded.

"Were all friends now. You don't need to be so formal." I noted that he hadn't drank anything yet…readings from him were…strange. As were readings from Alucard. "Can I ask something Lilith?" I nodded. "Are those wings on your back?"

I looked back lengthening my wings just enough so that I could bring them forward slightly but not get in the way of anyone. The two brothers seemed to marvel at them. Edward carefully extended a finger to briefly brush against one of the many feathers on my right wing. After a second he loosened, obviously being rather careful not to damage anything. Alphones removed one of his giant gloves from his suit, his small hand seeming more fragile than the feathers he feared of damaging.

"Brother…they're so soft." There came a coo to Alphones voice.

"I know Al." Edward removed his gloves, his right glove covering the fact that he had a metal right hand. "Hey Lilith?" I looked at Ed who was smiling obviously enjoying himself. "So what are those things on the side of your head?" He placed both hands on the side of his head to symbolise what he was asking about.

"_They are my advanced sensors. They come with a function to change their shape._" I very briefly cycled the different shapes for them, making sure to return back to the default shape.

Alphones gave a small chuckle. "What ones do you like the best Lilith?"

It was no order. I returned back to the selection menu. "_I like these ones._" My default sensors expanded feathering themselves out into three feather like objects. They hung in an arch down towards my neck then spread slightly higher as they came up.

"They suit you!" Ed smiled more taking another drink. "So is there anything else you can change?"

_Scanning_. "_This unit believes it can change its hair colour and length._" Again I flicked through menu, changing hair colour and length many times.

"Any of those you liked Lilith?" Edward's smile looked like it would start to hurt the muscles in his face if he had been smiling any happier. I made my selections. Long black hair that cut off a just a little way below my shoulders, the fringe was long in places. My advanced sensors poked out slightly between the long bangs of hair. "Wow. That…that really suits you Lilith." Edward went ever so slighty red across his nose. "Much better than the old look!" He grinned again patting the back of his head.

This strange feeling passed through me. Making me feel warm inside…words couldn't describe it. I felt my mouth copy movements I had watched others make. I smiled a small happy noise coming with it.

"Hey you finally smiled!" Alphones tone rounded happily, I felt the smile fade an instant later. Though by the way he sounded and the way Edward reacted with his own smile. Smiling…wasn't a bad thing was it?

There came a small clink of a plate. Neither one of us had noticed Alucard come over towards us all. On the plate were multiple foods to choose from.

"Complements from the owner Miss Integra Hellsing." He stood up straight the two brothers looking at him questioningly and baffled. "For setting a angel free off her cage gentleman." Alucards focus shifted to me. "Miss Integra's orders 'Masters' orders are to stay with your new friends." His tone was sincere, smile genuine – though somehow with a warped sense of humour. And without another word Alucard left, wandering back to the bar.

A few seconds later Edward walked up to another table and asked to use the spare chair. He came back placed it down just behind me, asked me to sit with them, then pushed the chair further towards the table. It felt strange, sitting there with them. I felt as though I should have been somewhere else. Somewhere much further away. _Containment breach. Emotional protection reset to 100%. Regulating. _I felt the hyperactive shock fly through my systems banishing the strange feeling with it. My thoughts focused back to the two I knew as Edward Elric and Alphones Elric. I watched as they took pieces of the food switching between laughing, talking and briefly glancing at the notes and books in front of them. They were talking about all kinds of things, the people they had met, the places they been, the marvels they had seen. I sat there listening, checking data archives of the all the places they'd been. Some of these places were lost ruins miles and miles away from marked towns. The books they were reading had to be translated with some complex code, which the brothers had been working on uncovering for a few days now…with no luck. The tavern was mostly empty by now, the sun long since set and nights cool blanket set in. The candle light on the table crepted over the note and book pages. Alphones showed me a page of the book.

"Do you see this passage here?" He pointed near-ish the top of the page. "Well brother and I thought I might have linked to this passage on the page over here were it talks about the open sky and rolling earth." Edward frowned at his notes again letting his head fall to the table like a hundred and ones times he had beforehand. I blinked at the odd symbols and scribbles. My scanner activated, lenses turning a vivid orange.

"_The falling of the heaven sky, the crash of rolling thunder, the song of mother earth. Born of the sky. Tamed by the earth. Our entrance lies to the west of the Angel Arch._" My scanners deactivated, lenses returning to their normal green. The two brothers gawked at me. "_Have I offended?…_"

"No no!" Edward quickly shook his head, hands waving around apologetically. "That was just so amazing! Al and I haven't been able to crack the good and well…" Edward rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "…Well to be honest I never thought that we just needed someone like you to read it out for us." Ed picked up one of his notes. "Possible ingredients for potion or something…seek out further hints in later paragraphs." He sighed. "I was nowhere close…"

"Lilith?" I turned to Al whose armour caught dark corners on the candlelight. "May I ask how you read it?"

I nodded. "_My data archives alerted me to the patterns during my initial scan of the text._"

"Data achieves?" Edward crossed his arms. "So you're telling me you can understand all of this stuff?" I nodded at him blankly. He closed his book showing the front cover of it to me. "Then can you read the title for us. I have a hunch about something."

Again my scanner activated, lenses turning orange. "_Odyssey to Angel Arch."_ I looked up at his stern face blankly, I retained my activation of my scanners.

Edward quickly flicked a few pages in. "And this part?"

"_The vast sky knows the way. Though only winged eyes may foresee its path among the stars and clouds._" Ed sat back, visually taking in what I had read. My scanners deactivated, lenses returning to their normal green.

The two brothers remained quiet. "Just when we think we're getting close…we always end up back at square one…don't we brother?" Alphones looked over at Edward, who looked disheartened…after a spell he looked up at the ceiling.

"Yeah…" He stared at the ceiling the small ghost of a smile playing his features. "Just like always Al. So close…yet so far. Isn't that always our luck…" The candle flame on the table danced as the last of the patrons left the tavern.

Some made small comments about the messy mass of notes on the desk…though the brothers never seemed to care. They were lost in themselves and thoughts. Something stung inside my chest. My core quivering. I placed a hand over it another strange thing passing over me entirely. A quivering inside me that wouldn't relent, my core shook. I felt something hot run down my cheeks

_**Hey. Why are you crying? Come on, don't be sad…come here you big softy.**_

Was this what this was? Why…why do I keep hearing these things in my head? What are these things I keep feeling?

'**Who are you?'**

Why? WHY WON'T THE PROTECTIONS KEEP THESE THINGS OUT?

"Lilith?" Alphones quickly but gently touched my left shoulder. I felt my body quivering as his arm held steady. "Brother! What do we do? What DID we do?" Alphones sounded panicked. Ed quickly snapped out of whatever he was thinking about.

"Hey! Hey! What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Edward tenderly touched my other shoulder his body temperature raising from panic and worry.

The hot things still flowed from beneath my lenses. The grew as in number as they slide down my cheeks. My entire body quivered this feeling consuming my being entirely. I covered my eyes as the these hot things grew in number again…I felt my back curl as I lowered toward the table resting the tip of my forehead against it._ What are these things? …I don't understand them…why do I have this feeling? _I felt Edward hand run over my back his voice cooing to me not to cry as Alphones told me everything was to going to be alright. Alarms of breached protections were going off like clockwork in my head. Readings going wild. Subroutines searching frantically through the data archives against how to combat this. My core continued to quiver…along with the rest of me. My systems fell out of my control, my wings expanded back to their normal length, my protections dropped and my default clothing reinstated itself over my current clothing. The feeling pushed more, my system slowed to a halt.

_Self repair systems in progress._

Another pair of hands took their place on my shoulders.

"Now now…" Came the voice of Master Integra. "You've done enough for today Lilith." Her voice was soft. "You two boys should get some rest. We have a spare room you can use for tonight." I felt her hands slightly pinch my shoulders. "You too Lilith."

_Self repair at 25%_

The bedroom lay in silence. The glow of the moon coming in through the wide windows painted the room a light moody blue. The faded spade wallpaper gave of a small sheen to direct moonlight. The single small dark oak dresser stood against the wall at the foot of Edwards bed. The single bed was low and old fashioned looking sporting a wooden head-guard. The covers were decorated with various faded flower heads the sun obviously had long sucked all the vibrant colours from them. The pillow was a plain white cased one. Edward lay there looking up at the dark roof his arms behind his neck propping his head up. Alphones lay in the bed opposite, the younger brother had quickly fallen asleep in the embrace of the warm soft covers. I sat on the window ledge, legs curled up towards my chest watching the reflection of the moon in a puddle on the deserted street. The room stood in silence, only the occasional breath of wind breaking it.

"Hey…Lilith…you mind if I ask you something?" Edward finally broke the silence. I turned my gaze from the mirror moon of the wet street to the young man staring up at the ceiling in thought. "…I've been thinking…after what that Integra lady said to us."

"_**Lilith as your Master I'm giving you my one – and only order. 'Find your own way'. Now I release you from my service! I am no longer your Master!"**_

I pulled my legs closer to myself, trying to take some comfort in the action. There was no purpose to a Guardian if she never had a Master…we lived to serve our Masters…nothing more. The silence fell back into the room…again Edward ventured forward to break it.

"I was wondering…if you'd come with us…" I looked at him surprised. Every vibration in his voice said he was serious about it too. "You, me and Alphones. All together. Trying to find this thing out there." His gaze switched from the ceiling to the window, past me out into the unknown. "I can't say that we'll ever find it…but…I want you to come with us…and don't ask me why I think that." His tired gaze switched from the window to me. "You don't have anything keeping you here. And…the sky out there is vast…if you got bored of us…you could just fly away." He turned over his voice getting tired and mellow his head heavy on the pillow. "If you don't want to come with us…I understand. But I think there are answers out there…waiting for you to find them." He looked over his shoulder at me. "And…I don't think we can do this without you…" He looked away, frame shifting under the covers. "….And….no…more…cry…ing….that's…an…..or….deerrrrrrr…." His voice dropped off. He breathed softly chest raising and falling ever so slightly.

I felt the tips of my mouth peek softly. A warm sensation coming over me. I dislodged myself from my perch coming over to the two now fast asleep brothers. I pulled the covers further up trying to keep the cold nights chill from them. With that I returned to the window ledge, my smile five times greater than when it had first appeared. I watched the two for a moment, both sleeping soundly…then cast my eyes back up to the vast night sky...where the lady moon sat waiting for me.

_**I think there are answers out there. Waiting for you to find them.**_

_**The sky out there is vast…**_

…_**You could just…**_

…_**Fly away…**_

I looked up at the stars and the moon. The vast sky twinkling with numerous stars. _The sky out there…is vast?_ I tucked my legs in towards my chest again, laying my head down on my knees.

_Self repair at 100%_

_Repairs complete._

_Protections reinstated._

_Unit restored to 100% capabilities._

The street was still quite. The glow of the lady moon shone down through the thick dark woollen clouds above. Water dropped down in sheets, pellets of water dropping down from the sky. They painted all they touched darker, wetter and shinier. The archives said humans called it 'rain'…was it because of the noise it made? I was in a strange world…without a master. There suddenly came a rustling from one of the beds. Alphones gave a small yawn, I watched as he got up and stretched he then turned. My presence seemed to startle him as he jumped armour making a rather loud clanking at his sudden movement.

"Lilith! You're still awake?" He calmed after a few seconds. "What's the matter? Can you not sleep?" He came over to where I was sitting on the window ledge.

I shook my head at him. "_This unit does not require sleep._"

"Oh." Alphones gave apologetically. "Sorry. I forgot about you being an AI. B-but I had a dream" He perked up possibly thinking he was about to offend me with the previous line of thought. "You were asleep in it. I guess…I guess I must have still thought I was dreaming." He scratched the side of his helmet a nervous laugh following. I blinked.

"_What is a 'dream'?_" No data was present for the defined term.

"You've never had a dream?" He sounded surprised. I shook my head. "Well. A dream is what happens when you fall asleep. It can be about anything. Eating, sleeping, going somewhere, meeting someone. It can be just about anything really." Alphones sat down by the window ledge watching his brother sleeping. "I know what it's like to stay up all night. Never being able to sleep." Alphones removed his helmet, his light blonde golden hair the same as his brothers. He looked at me with young vivid golden eyes like his older brother. "Without my brother…I wouldn't be here…I wouldn't have my body back either." He replaced his helmet a small side movement to check it was stable on his head. "Brother and I have already asked a lot from you. Someone we don't even know all that well. But Lilith." Alphones turned to me the red burning marks that were the helmet's eyes staring at me. "Would you watch over brother and I while we're logged out? It's just…Winry will kill us if we run up the internet bill again." His voice held a small sum of fear to it. I nodded, feeling slightly more alone now. Alphones put his giant armoured hand on mine. "We won't abandon you Lilith. We'll be back. Just you wait and see!" His voice sounded sincere, full of excitement and happiness.

I watched as Alphones made his way back to the bed. He lay down there only to fade out after a couple of seconds…followed by his brother. Though unlike Master…they had not faded away completely…I could still see their forms lying there in-between the covers. And suddenly – I didn't feel quite as alone anymore. I gazed back up at the stars. _The sky…is vast out there?_

The lady moon had long since done her cycle of the land. The streets were filled with hustle and bustle, people buying and talking as I had seen before. We had left the tavern far behind now walking the streets going toward something the brothers called an 'airship'. Edward had a side bag slung over his shoulder containing his and Al's multiple books, notes and spare paper. He was wearing a red coat with some strange symbol my archives never recognised. The brothers had asked that I keep my wings small as I had in the tavern when talking with them. I complied. Edward gave a loud yawn.

"I forgot how long this walk was…" He flicked his right shoulder, bag obviously causing a cramp in his arm. "Oh yeah!" He quickly turned to me and Al. "I was thinking about the riddle in the paragraph Lilith translated for us. And I think I have an idea of what I could mean. Lilith?" Edward looked at me direct. "Is there any way you could change your eye colour?"

"ED!" Alphones obviously didn't agree at all.

I blinked checking my systems. I nodded towards Ed.

"Could you change your eye colour to blue?" Ed suddenly backreeled from looking at Al. "Or any colour you want! Or keep them that colour!" He nervously laughed as Alphones took a step forward with a long stick of recently bought crusty bread.

I covered my lenses with my hands, subroutines taking hold in the little bit of night I made for myself. The dark green morphed to a darker blue. I uncovered my lenses the world now casting a deep soft sky blue. "_This unit regrets to inform that its changing systems have reached full capacity. Features are no rendered unchangeable from this point onwards._" The two boys looked at me, the pre-recorded message stopping. I blinked viewing them in a new lens of deep soft sky blue.

Ed nervously rubbed the back of his neck looking guilty and sheepish. "You like the new you though right?" I nodded, all my circuits agreeing with me. He gave a relieved sigh "Well that's good. For a second there I thought I might have made you do something you di-"

"HELP!" The womans cry came from somewhere in the crowds. Sensors picked up three fast moving forms. A boy broke through first people clearing the way for him. He was dressed all in black with a mask strapped to his face. Lagging behind him was a young looking woman, dressed in a long robe with bicoloured eyes. Behind her was another woman dressed in a long blue tribal gown as spear slung over her back. "STOP! THEIF!" The young woman with different coloured eyes panted tiredly.

_**Hey. You want to see a magic trick?**_

The boy swung round into Edward, sensors picking up the quick movements as Edwards bag changed hands. Edward landed in a heap on the ground the boy running past.

"Hey!" Edward shot to his feet.

_Target locked._

My lenses changed to red. Pursuit systems engaged as my wings shifted to normal state. I stepped forward wings pushing behind me. The clear street made it easy to chance up in under a second, I turned on my heels as my arm extended advanced readings precisely targeting the head. My left hand closed around his head lifting him into the air as I stopped just short of the crowd that hadn't managed to disperse yet. The boy wriggled in my strong grip voice muffled.

"_Target captured. Unit awaits further orders._" My red lenses held steady on him, target locking still tracking the captured boy. There came the steady pacing of four from behind the target.

"Nice catch Lilith!" Edward was picked up by advanced sensors stopping on the right hand side of the captured target. He was breathless and doubled over slightly.

"_Unit awaits further orders…_" The boy still wriggled muffled voice becoming more frantic. Locking was still fixed on him.

_Confirm order for combat system engagement…_ "_Unit awaits further orders…_"

"T-thank you!" There came a puffing, advanced sensors picked up the young woman, Alphones and the other woman behind the target. "H-he just came out of nowhere a-and grabbed my staff from me!" She panted obviously quite shaken by the event.

"Yeah! Thanks muchly!" The other woman gave happily not winded from her sprinting. She came over her tanned skin and blue eyes fixing on the captured target. Her long black hair swung around her eyes as she took the both stolen items from the target. "Believe this is yours?" She extended the bag to Edward.

"Yeah. Thanks." He took it from her deciding to wear it properly this time around.

The woman gave the staff back to the younger woman. "Let's try and not get jump by thieves next time eh?" The younger woman smiled her brown styled layer hair flowing with a strange beauty.

"_Unit awaits further orders…_" The four pairs of eyes turned to me. The captured target still locked on, lenses still red.

"Kill em." Came the voice from the older woman her accent somewhat charming, Edward and Alphones quickly looked at her. "He's only a danger to everyone here. De-synch him. Get rid of him."

"Hey! Wait a second! You can't j-" Alphones was butted out by the woman again.

"It's either her, me or an admin that gets rid of this guy." The woman looked at them. "Ever thought how much he's stolen from others…maybe even killed them to get it?" The two brothers eyes lit up with something I couldn't place.

_Third party order issued._

_Engagement of target confirmed._

_Unit has no master._

…

_Order confirmed._

_Engage captured target._

_Combat systems engaged._

_Eliminate target…_

"_Order confirmed. Combat systems engaging._" The captured target squirmed frantically screaming muffled out. Forearm armoured spear was engaged on my right arm, attaching itself I held onto the handle as I cocked my arm back. There came a heavy weight to my arm…I cast my lenses down at it…Ed was clinging to my arm…holding it back with all his strength.

"…Cancel that order…" He managed through gritted teeth. "Let the admins take care of this guy…" His strong grip started to tremble. "Don't kill him Lilith…don't."

"_Orders have been confirmed. Orders cannot…_" Edwards added weight and strength wouldn't be able to hold me back from striking. "_…Be cancelled once given…_" My arm thrust forward…Alphones grabbed the spear pushing it back from the boys throat, he held on locking my arm in place. Circuits halted…added pressure was retracted from the spear arm, as any further action would endanger Alphones Elric.

"We can't let you do that!" Alphones grunted his strength struggling to budge my arm even half an inch.

_Conflict detected._

"You're not a killer." I looked at Ed who was now shaking from head to toe from exertion. "You're not a killer Lilith. You're not like all the other AI's!" He looked up at me determination set on his grim looks, his jaw set furiously. "NO AI LOOKS UP AT THE NIGHT SKY LIKE YOU DO!" His voice dropped to a more undetermined tone…like the one he had used while falling asleep. "Remember what I said? …The sky out there is vast? …I'm sure any other Guardian would just disregard that, but you're NOT LIKE THEM! NO DAMN RELGULAR AI LOOKS UP AT THAT SKY AND WONDERS LIKE YOU DID!" He gave a feeble tug at my arm. "They don't feel either…they don't sit with two goofballs and listen to their sob stories…and they sure as hell don't cry like you did. You're not like the rest…" Again he gave another feeble tug some sense of strength returning to his voice. "…Please don't prove me wrong on that…I order you…not to kill him…please…"

…

…_Combat systems disengaging…_

_New orders received._

_Engaging capture systems._

"_New orders confirmed. Capture system will be deployed on target instead._" The spear disappeared from my arm, the two brothers relaxed.

A bubble formed from my left hand and over the captured target, it's engulfed him entirely leaving him stuck to the spot suspended inside. The crowd around us gave a small cheer, the younger woman seemed to relax the other older one giving a sigh. My lenses returned to their normal blue state, the brothers let go of me…before pulling me into what was archived as a 'hug' the crowd cheered at this even more.

_**The browness of her hair engulfed me as she pulled me into a hug. She was warm and soft…even softer than I thought was possible. She pulled back a small blush over her nose.**_

"So then." The older woman's accent floated over. She and her friend came over "Back where I come from we reward those that do good deeds." She raised her right hand fanning out five paper tickets. "So how about we go catch that airship before it leaves huh?"

I followed the two women as the Elric brothers did. After several blocks of dusty old building structures we turned out towards what looked like a dock at first glance. Expect it wasn't. Were my archives said should have been water was a huge drop through the clouds below. Of in the distance was a snow-capped mountain, it's peek breaking through the clouds defiantly. In this dock was another marvel, a golden ship that floated in place as if by it's own accord. The steady streams of people were filing into the large glass windowed section held below the main part of the airship. Inside were rows of blue seats everyone was taking whatever one they could find or preferred. The windows allowed for an unhindered view of the clouds below and the sky above. I settled by the window – gazing up at the vast open sky above.

"So where exactly are you going then gents?…And lady." The older woman offered, her younger friend watching out the window.

Alphones looked at his older brother who gave him a go ahead look. "Well." Alphones scratched his helmets chin. "To be honest we're not really sure ourselves." The older woman raised an eyebrow. "We're just trying to find more clues to what we're trying to find really. All we have to go on is a place called Angel Arch, but we're not even sure if it's a real place or not."

"Ah I see. Are all three of you travelling together?" The two nodded. "Well." Her tone changed to a welcoming one. "I really hope you all find what you're looking for!" She then pointed to herself. "I'm Fang! My rather silent shy companion here is Yuna." Yuna briefly looked round offered a soft smile then went back to gazing out of the window.

"I'm Edward Elric and this is my younger brother Alphones!" Edward suddenly perked up. "Our friend over by the window there is Lilith. She's helping us find this place we're looking for. In fact she's the one who translated the text for us!"

Fang gave a smile "Nice to meet ya!" She turned a look towards me. "She likes watching the clouds doesn't she?"

"Yeah." Alphones nodded. "She stayed up all of last night watching the stars. She doesn't sleep since she's a Guardian."

"A Guardian huh?" Fang sat back crossing her arms and putting her left leg over her right. "Well that explains what happened back in the street with that thief then. Do you know what model she is?" Edward nodded.

"A type one."

Fang seemed to tense just a little at the statement. "Afraid to tell ya. But there are no type one Guardians." The two brother stared at her. "It goes up in the letters. Alpha, Beta, Charlie and so on. But I do have a friend that knows a lot about everything…he's just a kid but he could find out what type she was. If your interested?" A different tone had come to her voice…a very persuading tone with an underline of seriousness and mistrust.

There was a pause before Ed added. "Thanks but no thanks." Alphones looked at his older brother. "I don't care if Lilith lied to us or not." He looked up at Fang eyes unwavering. "She might just be a bunch of code on the fritz to some people…but to me and Al. She's our friend. And we're going to help her as much as we can."

Fang gave something between a snigger and a chuckle. "I don't recall saying I'd let me buddy tinker in her head or anything." The two looked at her, this understanding smile gracing her face. "We're alike. You three are searching for something. And we're searching for something as well." She leant forward on her seat. "The legendary Elric brothers…as strong willed as I heard you would be…though I had imagined Ed would have been a lot taller."

A vain stood out of Edwards forehead he lunged forward only to be caught by his brother. "DON'T CALL ME SMALL! I'LL RIP OFF YOUR FEET AND STICK EM ON YOUR HEAD!"

"Brother! Please! Calm down!" Alphones struggled to keep his smaller older brother away. Fang laughed happily. A small chuckle came from beside her…Ed stopped, Al stopped. Yuna chuckled happily.

"Hey…you finally smiled again." Fang smiled at her companion. Who looked at her through a teary eye as she began to laugh even harder.

"I can't help it!" She giggled eyes tearing even more. "His face was just so funny! The way his voice went all high pitched as well!" Her hands covered her mouth…but her eyes smiled a gorgeous smile.

I had caught it from the side of my lenses, it was something my advanced sensors could have never given any depth to. I turned away from the sky watching this girl laugh so heartedly, how her soft voice soothed as she chuckled innocently.

_**How could I ever forget the way she laughed. The fluttering smoothness of her soft voice as she chuckled so innocently. How I could never forget how I made my heart swell so…to the point I thought my love of her would burst forth into the world.**_

My core hurt. It hurt as I watched this young girl laughing. It hurt as I felt this feeling of the waking world vanishing into nothingness at the sound of her sweet voice. It hurt…when I knew not what caused it to hurt so much in the first place. _Why…why does my core hurt so much?_ I pressed a hand against it. _Why do I feel this way? Why are my systems malfunctioning so?_

The voices trailed back into my sensors hearing. The girl named Yuna had joined in with the conversation…the voices around me were happier. They were talking about things like the rest of the people on the airship were. Places they'd been, people they'd met.

"Now I remember where I've seen you from!" Alphones sounded excited I watched as he seemed squirmed giddy in his seat. "You're Fang Obera Yuna! Lady Luck! The only player to ever defeat the pvp arena at level 1!" His voice had climbed getting louder and louder as his excitement took him. Fang grinned obviously pleased with herself.

"Yup! Those high levels were the biggest pushovers. Greatest thing about it other than teaching them a lesson was that it paid out some lengthy amounts of gold for winning!" He grin grew.

"The Elric brothers are well reknown too." Yuna pitched in. "We've never stopped hearing about all the good deeds you've done on your adventures on here!" Yuna smiled a small blush coming over her nose. "I even picked up an alchemy book because of you two!" It was the brother turn to grin this time.

"Yeah yeah." Ed dismissed with a wave of his hand bashfully. "It comes with the territory ya know! A goofball in life and goofball online!" He laughed nervously. "So you said that you two were looking for something? What is it exactly?" The rather innocent question changed the air considerably. The smiles on Yuna and Fangs faces withered…Yuna more so than Fang, she at least managed to retain just a ghost of a smile.

"…Not really something…but someone." Fang sat forward arms crossing just on her knees as she looked at the cabin floor. "Six months ago – there was a hacker attack on our VR network. At the time we were testing out the new system…my idea…everything seemed fine. But the attack crashed our network. Four people…our friend among them…just never woke up. It was like they were still sleeping." Yuna quivered for a slight second, the memories having not lost their edge over her. "The thief back on the street was linked to a possible hacker group…one we thought might know something about the attack on our network. But it turns out that was another dead end."

"So…so what happened to him then?" Alphones's voice trembled.

"He's in the medical wing hooked up to life support. One of our friends managed to get information about the attack of the network. Ever since then we've been chasing down the people responsible…trying to find a way to bring our friend back." Fang sat back this calmness coming over her. "We might be clutching at straws, but at the end of the day we can at least say we've tried…guess it just makes us all feel better when we're not standing still thinking about it eh."

"…Gah…can you voice drone on anymore?" There came a rustle from behind Fang and Yuna's chair. A brown hood swung up tiredly on the otherside, the owner looked round, green eyes painting her stern tired features. Messy black hair barely kept in check inside her head, she scratched her head with a slightly tanned hand, a black sweatband around her left wrist. She yawned sleepily.

"Ah Rubi! Never heard you back there!" Fang's response was a something between a moan and a yawn. "Too much time up grinding with booze is never good for ya! Told ya a hundred times Rubi!"

Rubi lazily flopped her right arm over Fangs chair, a small part of a tattoo could be made out on her arm but disappeared under her brown hoodie. "Shut up." She hissed. "Can barely think straight let alone stop my head from cracking in two when someone talks." Her voice was gruff…or gruff-er than usual.

"So is this you're friend? The one that good with computers?" Rubi cast a tired eye at Edward.

"No. I'm the friend that kills things. God your voice is hurting my head…lil flea." She did seem uncomfortable holding her head as though it were split down the middle.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A LITTLE FLEA!" Edwards shout almost blow the glass out. Rubi idly flicked screwed her pinkie around her ear…hinting to the boy being far too loud for her liking.

"Sorry…couldn't hear a thing pipsqueak…" There was a frustrated sound from Ed, Al quickly braced him…though the approaching mayhem was cut short when Rubi let out a large earthy belch.

"Charming." Fang gave.

"Get fucked…" Rubi returned still picking at her ears.

"Such a lady Rubi!" Fang's voice picked up, Rubi perking a small smile as well. The two obviously were fast friends.

"Well Fang I must love you and leave you because this is my stop." The airship was pulling in toward some dock afloat in the sky. Some of the other passengers were preparing to leave as well, Rubi joined them high kneed boots engulfing her loose cargo jeans like a monster from below. Her jeans were covered in all manner of holsters and belts, her hoodie was even custom built to hold a sheath for her sword on her back. She followed the crowd outside before turning round and cupping her hand together. "Hey! Full Metal Pipsqueak!" A strand of Ed's hair stood on end as he craned his neck towards her. "Try not to grow any shorter! I don't want to trend on you by accident you little squirt!" The doors closed just as she finished. Edward fumed squirting out all kinds of jumbled words in his rage, Rubi waved goodbye from the platform, Fang was laughing - rather amused at both.

"…You seem like you're having fun…" The voice came from the aisle. A woman with strawberry pink hair stood there. She was dressed in some military looking uniform. She wore a cream colour coat that had several belts over it, underneath was a black turtleneck. She had a red mini skirt on that had some sort of leg pouch hanging underneath it. She sported blue gloves with a small brass plating across her knuckles. She had tall brown boots that reached up her smooth long legs to the knee. Behind her hanging above her knees on strap…was a weapon of some kind. The woman crossed her arms as scolding look standing out on her elegant features. "As always…"

"Oh hey Light! Never heard you come on. Did you sneak on board again?" Fang smiled. The woman crossed her arms a stern disapproving look coming over her face.

"That's Lightning to you." Her blue eyes turned to steel, voice becoming stiff like a soldiers. Lightning took the free seat next to Fang. "And before you ask. No, I didn't find anything. It was another dead end…" The two didn't look at each other while talking.

I felt a small shake at my knee, my gaze turned from the small conversation that was forming between Fang and Lightning to the pair of biecoloured eyes across from me. Yuna gave this very small sincere smile her green and blue eyes twinkling slightly.

"You're very quiet over there." She sounded concerned. "Have a lot of things on your mind?" Yuna was trying to draw me into conversation, she had been quiet the whole time as well. I glanced out the window looking up to the vast sky outside them. "You're very shy for an AI." She didn't sound annoyed, more understanding or maybe it was her soft voice playing a trick on my audio sensors. "You're really interested in the sky aren't you?"

I looked at her, nodding. "_Master said the sky was vast…_"

Yuna smiled at me. "Do you want to go flying in that vast sky? Is that why he gave you wings? To fly through the sky?"

"_Master never gave me wings…my wings are part of my airiel navigation systems._" Yuna once again smiled.

"Are one of the brothers your Master?" She looked over each of before looking back at me.

I felt myself stiffen up…the painful truth setting in. "_This units original master abandoned it. Master Intregra Hellsing then commanded this unit after the original master. Then Master Intregra ordered this unit to stay with the Elric brothers and released it from service. This unit…serves no master…it serves no purpose. This unit wonders what purpose it can serve._"

"Lilith…can I ask you something?" Yuna crossed her hands on her right knee eyes focusing on me, her smile holding steady and kind. "That maybe you were made for more than just serving a master? You've stuck with Edward and Alphones without a need to. You learn, you feel and you care about your two friends. Is that not enough reason…to live free and master-less?" Yuna's eyes seemed to glitter with a certain confidence. "It's a huge sky out there! You just need to spread your wings and fly."

I watched out the window again the fluffy cloud effortlessly floating above the green ground miles below.

_The sky out there is vast._

_You just need to spread your wings._ I flicked my small wings feeling a cramp setting in from sitting against the chair too long. _…and fly away._

The airship stopped once again, Alphones touched me gently on the shoulder to tell me we had arrived. I followed them out onto another suspended platform in the sky along with Yuna, Fang and Lightning. They were talking about going to speak to Fangs friend, that the road to where Edward, Alphones and I were headed was on the way there. I turned to watch the airship fly away standing by the edge to watch it set sail through the skies into the unknown. I watched it in till it was buy a speck on the horizon. I looked down…to the clouds and green fields below.

_Flight systems engaged._

I stepped off, the wind rushing past me as I started to fall. The clouds were wet as I pierced through them plummeting towards the ground. My wings expanded…pushing back against the g force they gave a flap, I levelled steadying myself as I glided smoothly forward. My clothes and hair ruffled in the wind…a sense of nothing but calmness taking me. I arched my body upward back towards the platform above, my wings pushing against the air propelling me back towards the sky.

_Flight system test…successful._

"Lilith! LILITH!" I flew up past Alphones who was calling over the ledge on all fours. He backed off falling over himself as he avoided my non collision path.

I spun round at the peek of my ascent high above the platform. My wings pushed again keeping me afloat. "_Flight test successful…this unit…can fly._" My core pulsed, I spun again then dived past where the airship had stationed in an arch. Reaching the peek I repeated it again heading up back where I originally was to hover.

_Projectile detected._ Something small and hard hit me in the forehead. _Damage nil._

"YOU IDIOT!" Edward arched himself back hurling another pebble at me, it missed by a few inches. "TELL US NEXT TIME SO WE DON'T HAVE A HEARTATTACK!" One of the pebbles he threw skipped of just above my left lens, I closed it rubbing the sore spot watching Edward through my right lens. He calmed after he realised he was out of spare pebbles to throw. "Hey!" His voice changed from angry to optimistic. "While your up there! Go fly around for a bit! Come find us when you're ready ok!" He grinned waving as he and the others left the platform heading towards the town at home on the huge mesa.

I floated there logging in the groups movements to my trackers. The beacon binged on them displaying a digital area map along with reading on my lenses.

_**The sky out there is vast…**_

…_**You could just spread your wings and fly away…**_

…_**Is that not a reason…to live free and Master-less?**_

I dropped from where I was, the rush of air invigorating as the wing ruffled threw my wings and the rocks on the mesa blurred past as I plummeted toward the green fields below. I arched my body up cutting an arch through three small clouds as I ducked and dived my way through the blue open sky. _To live free and Master-less_. My speed slowed as I came into a steady smooth glide high above the green lands below. Several flocks of white doves were in flight around the area, I flew along beside them watching as they flew straight and true to their own hearts. _To live free and Master-less…in the vast open skies. _They flew so beautifully…so free.

_Projectile detected._

The leader of the doves exploded into a fine red mist, lock on alarms went mad. Treat sensors scanning as I flipped round barely avoiding a long red projectile beam.

_Threat detected._

_Combat systems engaging._

_Target at Mach12._

_Projectile weaponry detected._

_Warning! Projectiles incoming._

I spun and dived the beams following in a sharp impossible turn. I pulled my wings further in trying desperately to outrun the alarmingly gaining weaponry.

_Target detected on coloision course…_

The land below seemed to shatter in front of me, a form ripped itself from the very air itself. The large black wings home of two red lenses - crosshairs ablaze in them.

_Target identified…Guardian class._

Before I could react she had grabbed my left wing with her left hand, her right closed around my head. A second later I saw the red energy gather in her hand…before it blasted point blank. Systems malfunctioned from the blew I could feel the hot steam raising from my skin…my right lens was critically damaged a large crack running through my vision. She let me go…leaving me to plummet to the ground below…systems failing as I fell. The green fields below closed in…as I landed with a soul shattering crash…the earth around me being obliterated by the impact leaving me lying in a crater.

…_Wa…rning…_

…_Systems…critical…_

…_Dam…damage….critical…_

…_Damage to flight…syste….ms…critical…_

…_Unit…requires…repairs…_

…_Systems…critical…_

…_Self…repair…systems…engaged…_

Something impacted on my chest, several deep puncher wounds being inflicted.

_Self…repair system…damaged…_

…_Core damage detected…_

Visual systems became to fail. I looked up…the sister Guardian standing over me…her long talon foot piercing into my chest…red fluids flooding out. Her eyes were still ablaze, crosshairs still transfixed on me. I was unable to re-engage combat systems…my left lens staying its normal blue. Her hands were like her feet incased in high-end indestructible metal with diamond tipped combat talon claws. I felt her strength barring down on me, her thicker more muscular but still womanly frame making her stand taller and wider. Her short banged dark green hair flared at the sides several strand of loose hair running down into her eyes.

"That's enough Gamma." She glanced to her right removing her foot as a man of muscular framing come over. His features blacked out by a white cloak and old medieval beaked doctor's mask. I wasn't going anywhere…I had lost movement systems and external power to my arms and legs were severed. "You wouldn't want to break your poor little sister. Now would you?"

"…**No Master…**" Gamma looked down at me lenses returning too normal. Her normal lens colour was a vibrant yellow. Gamma's visual processors in the back of her eyes spun left telling me she was zoomed in.

"Ah…" The man crouched down next to me. "Unit Omega…" I struggled to look up at him. "My my…your performance against Gamma was…less than I had expected. Although she is your…bigger sister…in more ways than one. The next generation if you will…faster, stronger, better…and more than capable enough…to take down some…glorified child's toy." His tone dropped to one of loathing. "Perhaps her top range model of Guardian, is just a bunch of useless scrap metal." His tone changed to a mocking one, bristling with self pride and over confidence. He snapped his fingers. "Gamma!" He stood up putting his hands in the pockets of his cloak. "Take this broken toy back to its child…they must be missing it." He turned took a few steps forward before turning back round again. "Oh! And Gamma." Gamma looked at her Master. "Tear her wings off while you're at it…show them what happens to people that go sticking their nose into our business." I could easily have seen his wicked smile beneath that doctors mask.

Gamma smiled at her Master, her teeth seeming sharper than when I had first seen her. "**With pleasure Master**." She turned to me with a wicked toothed smile as her Master gave an idle wave over his shoulder walking on into the green fields. Gamma went behind me pushing me up so I was sitting, my body like a puppet on strings…her as the puppeteer. "**Try to scream as loud as you can Omega…**" Her claw clutched my right wing her grip like iron. "**Or else this won't be any fun!**" I felt her tug back, the red-hot pain in my back, the rip of flesh and circuitry…the hot water that fell from my lenses…before my systems fully crashed.

_Unit integrity at 0.25%_

_Self repair systems rendered inoperable._

_Core damage at 99%_

_System failure._

_Unit capability at –100%_

_Unit integrity at 0.12%_

_0.11%_

_0.10%_

_0.09%_

_0.08%_

_0.07%_

_0.06%_

_0.05%_

_Outside breach detected in systems,_

_0.04%_

_0.03%_

_0.02%_

…

_Unit Integrity raising._

_0.03%_

_0.92%_

_1%_

_5%_

_10%_

_19%_

_37%_

_Self repair systems re-established._

_Self repair systems online._

_Unit integrity at 78%_

_Advanced sensors online._

_Audio sensors online._

_Visual systems impaired._

_Critical damage detected._

_Combat systems at 0.34%._

_Flight systems critically damaged. Fatal error._

_Unit reboot in._

_3…_

_2…_

_1…_

Visual systems flicked online. I was unable to move my only operational lens, it stared out at the confines of an old warehouse. Rows apone rows of advanced computers lined the walls, pulling in towards the centre where there were several fold out beds. I tired moving…though advanced sensors confirmed I was held in place.

"I have a signal." Came a small voice from the right just out of field of view. Some figures in the background moved, one coming over quicker than the others, another taller one not far behind the smaller quicker one.

"Lilith?" Edward slide towards where I was closing the small gap there was. His eyes were shinning with watery things.

"…_Ed….ward…_" His eyes opened more. I never felt my mouth move as the words passed.

Edward looked to someone to his left. "What's wrong with her? I thought you said you had both fixed her?" His voice broke in places.

There came a slime famine hand to his hair…his body shook under it, he violently stood marching off out of my sight…he rubbed his eyes as he left small sound escaping him. I made out Al's large frame going over to where his brother was, another from the large group of shadows went over toward him as well…the rest stayed back. Someone moved in front of me, her slime hips dawned with mucky stained jeans. A white mucky tank top covered her top half, it was stained with grease and muck. She came down to my level, crouching her sky blue eyes smiled at me before her lips did. A black tribal dragon sat under her left eye, her short messy blue hair kept in an acceptable mess by a pair of old flight goggles. Her brown fingerless gloves clung to her small delicate hand that rested on her legs, which aided her in balancing herself in her current stance.

"Hello Omega." She gave softly…lovingly. "Do you…remember me?" She placed her hand on something that hung around her neck, holding onto it like her life depended on it.

My right lens scanned her…image being checked against archived data. "_U-u-unit…d-d-d-d-does not f-f-f-find any p-p-p-p-p-p-p-_" Her smile withered a little as my shattered voice looped…she gently touched me under the chain something sparking a second after she did. My voice stopped looping, functionality raising to one hundred percent. "_Unit regrets to inform. That no facial match could be found in archives._" Her smile didn't waver. Instead she reached past my field of vision…hands working at something I couldn't see.

"…'Inform'…" She looked up at what she was doing to meet me in the eyes. "That's a new word you've learnt since last time we spoke Omega." Her smile grew ever so slightly. Something clicked as my left lens came back online, I reeled the zoom in and out testing the function and synching it with my right. "There. Now you can see with both eyes, like every angel should." She stopped for a second looking directly at my lenses. "You changed the colour huh? Well…can't say I liked them green anyway. Blue suits you Omega, always have." She suddenly giggled. "Oh I'm sorry Lilith. I forgot how much you hate being called that!" She covered her mouth as she laughed her voice light with joy. Again I ran her image against archives…but again it came up with nothing.

"You're talking to her like you've known her for years…" Lightning's voice came in from the right. "You mind telling us. Trust is a two way street you know…" Her voice was stern.

The woman looked towards Lightning, she smiled gently. "In many ways I guess I would be her mother." There was a small silence as she looked directly at me, I zoomed in on her face…small sources of water forming in her eyes. "I built Lilith. I taught her everything she knows. In many ways…she is my daughter…my dear daughter. It's only now…that I wish I had tried to protect her more." She seemed to look around me. "…They even tore her wings off…" I felt her warm hands touch my cheeks.

"How can an AI be a daughter?" Lightnings question seemed to annoy the woman a little.

"She's more than just a strand of code!" She stood up. "She is more than they could ever have dreamt of achieving. She unlike any other AI out there has the ability to learn!" She came back down to my level pulling at more things. "I wouldn't expect anyone else to ever understand that. All people want to do is use her to achieve their own ends." Her frantic work was put to a sudden stop as Lightning put a hand on her shoulder…she took it in comfort.

"Medusa…it's alright. I didn't mean it like that. You've been through a lot…I won't pretend I understand…but maybe if you told me." Lightning came down to Medusa's level, putting her other hand of her other shoulder. "Then maybe I could understand. It's plain as day you care about Lilith. So tell me…so I might understand." Medusa took comfort in it…her stiffened shoulders loosened.

"Five years ago. I dreamt of making a program that could self sustain, gather data and above all learn. I knew little about coding at the time and any attempts I made failed to yield any positive results. Desperate I got in contact with an old friend, how knew more than a couple of hundred ways to do things on any computer. I told him what I wanted…and he gave me the beginnings of an adaptive coding he had been working on for so many months. At first…Omega was nothing more than just an AI chat buddy I had on my desktop. Whenever I came on I would launch her and teach her as much as I could." She smiled to herself at the memories played. "After a while, Omega would start wishing me a good morning whenever I logged on…asking me how my day had been. At that point…I started think of her as more than just a program, she had started to display understanding of emotions. Instead of asking questions…or giving ropy artificial answers…she genuinely felt like another person on the opposite end of a chat room. She was starting to learn. Omega could even surf the web, finding out about everything she wanted to know about…able to sift through tons of data and be able to understand what was true and what was false." She chuckled at something. "I still remember when she told me about the process of reproduction…she was so proud of herself for finding out!" She looked at me her eyes growing soft. "For once in my life…I felt as if I really had a friend. Then on October seventeenth, Omega asked what 'mother' meant. After I told her…she began calling me her mother."

"I don't see how this fits in with our friend." Another voice came from nowhere, a strong pair of legs and arms came into view. "You said you knew about what happened to our friend…who the people responsible her." His voice was strong.

"My 'friend' found out about Omega. That she had defence and attack capabilities coded into her…basically she was able to capture any computer or outside threats and retaliate. Much like a virus scanner. My friend told me of a project he had been working on…Gamma. Another program like Omega, but without the ability it understand or comprehend the reactions of its actions." Medusa's gazed down at the floor. "He told me of a way that we could bring Omega and Gamma into true form…but that it meant treading on some toes to do it. So one day…I asked Omega to hack into the VR networks along with Gamma." The mans hands curled into fists, Lightning's grip tightening around Medusa's tank top. "…I asked my daughter to do such a terrible thing…what sort of mother asks her child to do something so horrible. Working together, Omega and Gamma managed to retrieve the proper tools we needed to allow digital construction of their virtual self's…but my 'friend' had other plans. He ordered Gamma to dive deeper and retrieve a human subconscious. Meanwhile I ordered Omega to shutdown the network…but I was too late. Gamma had access to the entire network and push Omega out of the systems…but my daughter knew more tricks than she did. She subdived into the targeted pods and managed to disconnect the users just as Gamma managed to crack in. But there one…that she never reached in time." Medusa looked up at the man. "Your friend. Omega did manage to do something however…" She looked at me. "She was able to envelop your friends subconscious and take it into herself, keeping it from any harm." They all looked at me. "After that. I ordered Omega to protect it at all costs, to disappear into the system. I gave her the name Lilith…then sent her into this world as a unique Guardian. Giving her all the tools she would need to protect herself and your friends subconscious. I went about making a place for her to find in this world…a place she could only find…a place I knew would be safe for her to release the trapped subconscious back into the world. But my friend managed to find Lilith before then…he didn't know what she carried…but as a blow to me he placed restrictions on her memory and emotional controls. She forgot who she was…and just vanished."

"…So…" Lightning stood. "Our friend…is trapped inside her?…" Quickly she drew her weapon, in an instant it folded out into a sword…she pointed it at me. Medusa quickly tackled her as she drew the sword back for a swing. "GET OFF ME!" The man went over to help, along with the rest. There was sounds of a struggle before both were pulled into my view restrained.

"You just can't chop her up! It's not as simple as that!" Mother struggled against Fang.

"Why can't I? That damn thing has my friend inside of her!" Lighting pushed against the man, he never flinched as he held he. "LET ME GO SNOW!" She tried to throw a swing at him, but he controlled her.

"…_It hurts…_" Mother looked at me, the others calmed. "_…It hurts…Mother…it hurts…_" Mother fought free coming over to me, her warm hands touched my face again.

"What does sweety? What hurts?" Mother stroked my face, eyes beginning to water.

"…'_It' hurts. 'It' hurts inside and this unit feels it's pain. Mother…it feels like this one will drown in water if 'it' cannot get out. Mother…please…_" I felt my core throb. "…_Please… make the pain stop…_" Mother touched my cheek water flowing from her eyes, her words shivering as she tried to speak but couldn't.

There was a silence…Mother emitted small sounds her eyes not looking at me as her body shook time after time. After a spell she looked up at me. "I'll make it stop." She wiped her eyes. "I promise." She sniffed. "But Mummy needs to fix you first ok." Mother choked on her words. "We need to lift the restrictions darling. So you'll be right as rain." Again Mother wiped her eyes. "Now. Be a good girl and go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up sweety." Her hand reached behind my head, I felt it twitch something. "I love you Lilith." The thing twitched again…and Mothers face vanished from sight.

_Unit offline…_

_Diverting all power to repair systems…_

…

_Unit power online…_

_Performing start up systems boot…_

_Alterations detected in synapses coding…_

_Memory protection at 0%…_

_Emotional protection at 80%._

_Self repair systems functioning at 100%…_

_Performing systems diagnostics…_

_Advanced sensors detected…_

_Database Archives detected…_

_Scanning systems detected…_

_Optical system lenses detected…_

_Audio sensors detected…_

_Combat systems detected…_

_Attention combat system parameters changed…_

_Activating new parameters…_

_Flight system fatal error…_

_Unit functionality at 95%…_

_Commencing boot cycle…_

_Unit powering up…_

_Activating visual systems…_

_Boot cycle complete…_

Visual systems came online. I blinked slowly, lenses taking in the blank ceiling. I sat up, a ragged blanket I was unaware of falling over itself, landing on my still covered legs. Again I blinked slowly…double checking my systems for any potential bugs…I felt sluggish. I started noting the warmth that gathered around my top half, I looked down to find myself dressed in a casual sweeter. That was obviously far too big for me as it hung loose and my hands kept getting overtaken by the sleeves. My back felt stiff…I must have been lying on my wings for hours, I reached back messaging the area around the-…my right hand met the soft touch of a bandage where my right wing should have been. Panicked I pushed it over, feeling the small crippled limp form of my shattered left wing.

"_**Try to scream as loud as you can…it's no fun otherwise!"**_

I sent commands to it…the small crippled limp form never moved…bandages giving it most of its support. Reluctantly I pulled the ends of the sweater up…looking at the bandages wrapped around my chest. I pulled the sweater back down, a washed out blue feeling coming over me as I did. I felt my shoulders sag my hands sitting on my lap…my eyes staring out into nothingness. I remembered the coolness of the wind grazing my cheeks, the wet softness of the clouds…the feeling of being free.

_The sky out there is vast…_

…_You just need to spread your wings…_

…_And fly away…_

"You're awake!" The voice sounded happy I looked up to Edward he smiled down at me as he began to sit crossed legged on the ground. He held a hot cup of brown water in his hands a small reassuring smile on his features. This red jacket and top were replaced by a black vest. "How are you feeling?"

I blinked running checks as I stared at him. "_This unit's performance is at 95%…though it regrets to inform that all functionality with this units flight systems have ceased._" I felt my own face fall slightly. "_This unit… regrets to inform Edward Elric…that it can never fly the vast open skies again…_"

Edward smiled at me, he rose up, taking a knee, his metal hand gently resting itself on my head. "It's alright." His hand ruffled my hair gently. "Your Mother's been working on something to fix that…you'll be flying through those skies again in no time!" He grinned still ruffling my hair.

"_Edward…"_ He looked at me as if caught my surprise. "_Thank…you._" Archives said these were the proper words to use.

He grinned again, golden eyes smiling as well. "Hey! No problem!" Edward sat back down his legs crossed again this cheeky little grin on his proud face. "Hey Lilith? You want to try something new with me?" After a moment I nodded. "Me and Al managed to get our hands on some tea." I presumed that what the hot brown water in the cup was. "Al got caught by the others back there and well…I figured you might feel better if you tried some." He pushed the cup out toward me, a genuine smile ghosting his lips.

I took the extremely warm cup from him, the heat penetrating through my hands and up my arms. The brown water rippled from the movements of the cup, steam raising from its surface. I had remembered seeing people talk about 'tea' that it soothed some making the world melt away. I pressed the cup against my lips the warm wet heat caressing my cheeks and nose. I tipped the cup taking in a small part of the hot tea into my mouth, it burned slightly as I swallowed it down. Edward looked at me with a questioning look as if he was a lord waiting on results from a poison tester. A heat rose from inside me…my cheeks and face began to burn as this feeling of warmth rose up and through me. I felt my face begin to redden as the warmth reached its peak…my advanced sensors opened their venting systems the hot steam shooting out from them.

"Oh…I see you gave Lilith some tea." Mother appeared behind Ed, who physically jumped at the suddenness of her voice. I felt the steam vent from my sensors again my lens clouding over slightly – Mother had a smile on her face. "I had forgot to say that she might have had this sort of reaction. Anything to that sets her system over its optimal temperature causes any excess heat to be vented."

"Wait! You knew this would happen?" Edwards annoyance still sounded as my venting gave of a steam whistle effect for preciously a second.

Mother smiled at him. "It's nothing that will harm her! It's just…funny. To see her react this way." Mother fought back a small flight of giggles. My core temperature had reset itself, excess heat venting was ceased. "Lilith. Do you like tea?" After a moment I nodded. Mother smiled. "Then drink as much as you want!" I placed the cup against my lips, tipping it again. The same feelings erupted again, my systems venting the excess heat. "That will never get old!" Mother sat down laughing, Edward joined in as well.

There passed a moment, were I felt the corners of my mouth raise. The strange sensation that I had experienced when with Ed and Al in the tavern resurfaced. And in that moment…I found myself smiling…along with Mother and Edward. The cold chill of the concrete batted away by the warmth of the blanket, the tea and their smiles. And all of a sudden…I felt like I had another pair of wings, that weren't broken…that could take me into the vast skies – and beyond. Mother ruffled my hair as Edward had, she told me how proud she was of me…but deep down…it sounded like she was saying goodbye. Why did Mothers smile falter?

"Medusa." Mother turned to Lightning. "We found them." Mother nodded some mutual understanding passing between them that passed over my understanding.

"Lilith." Mother looked down at me as she stood. "Be a good girl and stay here ok." Again she sounded like she was saying her goodbyes. She smiled gently before turning to leave without another word.

"_Mother…_" Mother never turned to me, her shoulders only gave a single tremor as I called to her.

Without another sound they all left, seconds passed before I heard a large door being closed to the small difference in light ending. My core throbbed, I wanted to help Mother. I placed a hand on the cold concrete floor as I arched my back trying to stand. My legs trembled as I added more weight to them…they collapsed before I could stand. My core throbbed again as I realised I could only sit there and await Mothers return…that I couldn't even protect my own Mother when she needed it most. I felt…helpless…a failure. There came a loud chink of a cups rim hitting concrete. Edward stood up this look in his eye.

"You're not just going to sit there are ya?" He grinned. "Come on Lilith. The parties gonna start without us!"

I felt a pair of cold hands come under my arms, I was lifted into the air for a brief second before being let down onto something just as cold. Alphones had put me up on his left shoulder.

"It's ok Lilith. We'll carry you there if we have to." Alphones voice echoed from inside the suit.

"_Mother told this unit to stay here._" I felt my legs give a small twitch looking down at them they felt like they were long pieces of string. "_This unit lacks the ability to even walk at this present time. Repairs on external limps are only 35.8 percent complete._"

The two boys turned sheepish the factor obviously a miscalculation on their behalf. Al carefully placed me back down in the warmth of the blankets, my legs no longer feeling any chill from the open air.

"Well that's that plan bust Al." Edward flopped back. "If she can't even move. Then all we can do is stay by her…make sure if anyone gets past everyone else they don't harm Lilith." He gave a heavy sigh from the ground.

I blinked at them. "_This unit detected new functions in its system…should I activate them?_" Edward pulled up rapidly to a sitting position, the brothers nodded at me in unison determination burning behind them. "_Very well._" The new system was activated, my lenses changed to stand by yellow.

_Activating Icarus systems._

_Standby…_

_Changing main power outlet…_

_Rewriting power specifications…_

_10%_

_60%_

_90%_

_Power rewrite complete…_

_Initialising Icarus system…_

_Legacy combat unitlites initialised._

_Importing combat data…_

_Activating Icarus weapon systems…_

_Warning!_

_Fatal flaw detected in Flight systems…_

_Advanced repairs beginning._

The two boys watched as my small crippled left wing began to glow slightly. I felt the bandage across my right wing stump begin to peel off. Reflected in their eyes I could see the growing forms of two large bright white wings beginning to grow and form. They flared out, white feathers bursting from them.

"_Repairs complete. The Icarus system has been successfully activated._" The sweater on me disappeared as my old clothing rezzed itself in with new hardened armour plating.

I stood up as the full black leg guards rezzed in around my legs. My lenses returned to their normal blue state. The two boys quickly regained themselves, Alphones stood as Edward quickly ran somewhere to retrieve his coat. He came barrelling round the corner shoving his arm into the left shelve.

"If we start running now we'll be able to catch up with them!" He stopped where his younger brother was, he made a quick movement with his hand to short his coat on his shoulders.

I blinked letting the Icarus system take full effect on my wings…they extended double their size as radiant white light glowing on them. "_I can…fly…us there. Edward. Alphones._" I let my new wings take a small gentle flap.

The two boys stood closer to me without much thought, their faces eager. Gently I pulled them closer making sure I had a good grip on them. And with one push my new wings lifted the three of us easily up, Al made a hole in the roof when we reached the top. He said it would have been unjust of me to blow a hole in the roof. I locked onto Mothers signal taking off at speed through the skies. The boys marvelled at sight of the world below, the people of the town looking up at us from the streets down below. To the vast open sky and rolling green plains below, they seemed to enjoy it all beaming smiles on their faces. The soft clouds gently sped past us as I followed Mothers signal, the green endless fields below giving of a feeling of a passing stream.

"There it is!" Al managed over the whistling of the wind. "Brother look! There it is!" Al pointed to the structure. Two large stone cutting of angelic wings stood criss-crossing over a stone temple placed in the middle. "Brother we found it!"

_I can't say if we'll ever find it._

"Wow! Look at that thing Al!" Ed's mouth was wide open in wonder. I could already see in his face all the thoughts that were passing through his mind.

A warning peeked in Mothers signal. Combat systems engaged as I locked onto a small part of the main temple structure, I fired lenses turning red as I followed just behind the beam. The old stone exploded dust flying high into the air, I pulled the two boys closer as I turned away pulling my wings in around to protect us from the impact. We threw through the opening perfectly blasting a dusty whole in the clean air inside, I spun as we hit the floor flipping over myself as I used my wings to break the violent turn of force. Edward and Alphones gave a caught as I realised them when we had came to a full halt.

"Are you crazy Lilith?" Edward coughed as the heavy old dust began to clear. "You-you could have killed us!" He doubled over coughing heavily from the dust.

"Yeah!" Alphones coughed as well. "I'm sure there was a perfectly good entrance we could have used!" The younger boy gave a heavy wooping cough.

I pulled my wings back pushing them forward to create a blast of air, the dust cloud lessened as I flapped my wings cycling the stale clear air inside the temple. The coughs lessened, the view and air clearing of the stifling old stone dust cloud. The walls of the temple were strange, blue lines of light ran through the stone in the walls and floor. The stone itself gave off a small tinge of blue, circuitry lights blinking impossibly in the stone itself. And through the dust…I face Mothers face…looking at me in amazement from the ground.

"Lilith…" She gave weakly her arm reaching out. "…Run…"

No sooner than Mothers words passed did I feel a great force and grip insnare my head. I felt myself being swepted along as this force pulled me crashing into one of the walls.

"**Well well little sister…**" Gamma's voice tore from the dust before her face shone through. "**Looks like I didn't quite break you after all.**" Her wings had been replaced with dark fire burning in the shape of them, from her red lenses eked out shadows. I made out the fallen shape of her former master…slumped out still on the floor. The red energy gathered in her talon hand again. Her smile grow wicked she and I both knew what was coming my way. "**Nighty night little sister. I'll send your mummy and all your friends to you soon enough.**" The energy exploded in my face.

I felt the sear of the smoke push past my face, the hot searing smoke I had remembered so well. I reached past my right arm grabbing Gamma by the neck. The searing smoke that now held no pain to it. I felt Gamma struggle under my strong grip she weaponized her claws and slashed down at me, only to have unkathed sparks as her reward. My wings flared the tips of my feathers impossibly turning to point at her. The radiant wings turned to cold steel pushing with sharp tips at Gamma's core and body.

"_Target captured. Unit awaiting further orders to deal with the treat._" Gamma again assulted me with her talons. I heard a flump as Mother put a hand on my shoulder. I looked at Mother with red lenses.

"Omega. Put Gamma to sleep." Her eyes begged me for something.

I nodded. I plunged my left hand into Gamma's core, she violently shrieked as I twisted knocking out her power unit. Her lenses returned to their normal yellow, briefly she looked down at me her face falling as her lenses went dark. Her hand gently touched mine, my combat systems disengaged my lenses returning to their normal blue. I let Gamma down to her feet, but as I let go of her she collpsed onto her knees her hand struggling to hold on part of the clothing on my torso. I came down to her level sitting on my knees on the floors with her. She looked at me with her yellow lenses half grey and blank.

"**Sister…**" She fell onto me her strength starting to leave her as her systems went into emergency shut down. "**…I'm sorry…**" Her head rested on my shoulders a tone of sadness coming to her once menacing voice. "**I tried…I tried to hurt our Mother…I hurt you…Omega.**" She looked up at me her left lenses still half yellow, she smiled weakly. "**…Please…forgive me…master made me cause only pain…please…make…**" Her head returned to my shoulder. "**…Make the pain stop…**" Gamma's reading faded…her hand dropped from where it held. Her shadowy wings evaporated leaving her former one that fell limply to the floor.

I felt my core throb. "_Unit reports. That unit Gamma has fallen silent._" My hand stroked through her hair as some of the other people on the ground climbed to their feet. "_Gamma. You never flew the skies did you?_" I looked down at her limp form her face and lenses blank. "…_The skies are vast Gamma…we can fly them free and masterless._" I closed her eyes a smile peaking the corners of my mouth. "_…The skies are vast and endless Gamma._" I placed Gamma's head gently on the ground making sure she looked comfortable. Mother would fix her, I knew she would.

"I thought." There came a grunt, Lightning had staggered over. "I thought her emotional restrictions were still on Med." Mother was over working by a terminal.

"She did have restrictions. But when she activated the Icarus systems those restrictions were lifted." Mother looked round from the console. "I told you my daughter was different." She smiled.

"What about her sister? Gamma?" Yuna clambered to her feet with the help of Alphones her dress and face dirty.

"I'll fix her. Just like I did when she hurt Lilith." Mother was focused on the console again.

Yuna smiled. "I'm sure Lilith will like that!" Mother's shoulder stiffened her fingers stopped what they were doing.

"…Lilith won't be here to enjoy that…" Her fingers went back to working. "Her form is housing the subconscious of your friend. In order to free that…Lilith's form needs to be broken down." Yuna and several of the others smiles faded, Ed and Al stood completely still a look of horror taking them. "In other words. My daughter won't exist once your friends awake. She will be nothing more than a memory to all of the hearts she's touched."

"B…but that's not right." Water formed in Yuna's eyes. "Why can't be have both of them? I don't…I don't want to keep choosing one life over another." Her tears fell to the cold stone floor her shoulders trembling as she began to cry.

Something inside my core pulled at me…a deep heavy sense of sadness coming over me. I placed a hand over my core. Wondering if the one inside me could feel what was going on as well. There came a grip to my dress I looked down to Edward and Al who was out of his armour.

"I…I don't want you to go." Alphones choked his grip strengthening on my dress. "All brother and I…ever seem to do…is lose the people we care about…I…I don't want you to go anywhere." I heard a plip of water on the floor by my feet.

"I…don't want you to get either…" Ed gripped my dress just as hard as Al. His eyes filled with tears like his younger brother, his teeth bared in grimace. "It's not right…for someone to come charging into life…with nothing but love and care in their heart…and to just be banished and forgotten about because of something they couldn't help in the first place." His metal hand curled into a fist his arm trembling with his body, his strength starting to waver.

My core trembled, the two smaller forms stuttering as their shoulders jutted tears falling from their eyes. I came down to their level, they looked at me eye teary…I smiled pulling them both close into a hug. They buried their heads into my shoulder shaking as their tears poured out more freely.

"_Edward…Alphones._" The two shook more, I placed a hand in each of their golden hair gently holding onto the hairs. "_This one is not going anywhere._" They pulled back to look at me noses beginning to run tears shimmering in their eyes. "_We're friends aren't we?_" The two nodded, Al sniffing. "_Then as long as you hold me in here._" I pointed to both of their hearts. "_Then I'll always be with you. And we'll never be apart. Edward. Alphones. If you hold me dear in your hearts. I will never be forgotten. I will always be with you both…and I will never be a memory._" The two held onto me again, I held onto them my own body starting to shake. "_We'll meet again. I promise you._" I rested my cheeks on the tops of their heads tears rolling down into their hair. "_I promise._" The minutes ticked by, they held onto me and I held onto them in till all our tears had been spent. After a time they pulled away stiffly, faces red from where they had been cuddled up from. Once more I pulled them close "_This is only a farewell…not goodbye._" They stepped back as I reached toward my wings pulling two of the most beautiful feathers I could find, I handed one to each of them. "_Remember. No matter where you both are…I'm right there beside you._" Edward and Alphones took the feathers eyes red and blood shot they looked at me with a fresh batch of tears. I ruffled their hair. "_Keep a weathered eye on the horizon._"

I stood going over toward Mother, leaving my two best friends behind with a heavy sense of loss. I ascended the stairs up onto a platform where the circuits were greatest. Mother clicked a few buttons, part of the temple ceiling came down starting to close of the view of everyone. The walls closed cutting of my zoomed in view of Ed and Al, the two still standing with the feathers…I stood alone in the darkness. The floor beneath me started to glow radiant glow, the sound of something powering up. I felt a hot tear barrel down my cheeks, a smile coming to my face.

"_Goodbye…everyone._"

The blue light blasted upward…the world fading into its blue light as I felt my circuits and body begin to break down.

_Systems overload…_

…_Unit…has fallen silent…_

…_Systems powering down…_

…_**Thank you…I promise…you will see your friends again. You will fly the skies again…soon Lilith. Real soon…I promise you that…my Guardian.**_


	19. Eden

Eden

My head swam, shades of light swimming in and out of a blurred focus. My arms and legs were unmoving masses of muscle and flesh…the faint slither of my spine felt like a rasped string trying to lift a stack of thick books. I felt my stomach turn as the nauseating feeling grow, but as it reached it's peak and my stomach revolted…there came a warm touch to my forehead. I could faintly make out the small pale shape of a warm slim hand etching out from my brow. Warmth on my sides began to become apparent to my shocked system…as did the soothing gentle action of someone stroking a hand over my head.

"_You're finally awake."_ The warm, soft voice of the girl was like something from a dream. I found my head tilting further back, eyes trying to met hers. The long black locks of her hair were soon in sight, her face masqueraded by the confusing blur pale blur of skin and light. Her slim fingers moved to my fringe pushing away any would be eye hazards…I felt a smile apon her lips as I looked up at her in a dreamy daze. _"It took a long time to find all the parts._" She spoke quietly, her soft voice resonating in my ear drums…a beautiful melody of the warmest spring. _"How are you feeling?"_

My lips only formed questions. "Where am I?"

The girls figure shuddered her shoulders peeking quickly before descending, her white night-gown falling a few seconds behind her actual shoulders. A quaint sound escaped her. A sound of joy and relief. _"That's not what I asked you." _Her voice was a sing song of happiness. _"How are you feeling?" _The strange girl asked again, her hand once again whipping a strand of hair away from my eyes.

"I feel…strange." I looked around the girl still petting my hair as I done so. As far as I could see in my hazed vision was a sea of white…and not a sound uttered. I looked back up at the girl "Where am I?"

She petted a hand through my hair before answering me. _"Somewhere safe."_ Her answer…puzzled me further. I felt my eyes strain as I tried in vain to sharpen the girls face…but everything remained a blur. Again she stroked through my hair. _"Everything will become clear in time. I promise. You've been asleep for quite some time._"

This puzzled me further. "I've been asleep?" Was I dreaming? Was I under some spell or enchantment gone horribly wrong? Asleep? What on earth did she mean? I felt my thoughts descend into turmoil, derailing my train of thought.

Again I felt her kind gentle smile glow down on me. "_Yes."_ She answered softly that if the slightest breath of wind had passed, it would have swept her words away along with it. _"You were asleep. Now you are awake."_

"Why…was I asleep?" I felt the hunger to ask.

Her image became sharper slightly in my vision. I could make out the various locks of black hair dancing over the back of her neck. Her face remained a blur. It was strange…that as I felt her smile once again glow on me…I felt a strange familiarity toward her…toward this place. As if…I had know this place all my life. The thought boiled in the back of my mind fighting me, to be understood in a time and place NOTHING made sense! What was happening to me?

She continued to stroke through my hair. Giving me some sort of strange comfort. _"You were in pieces. Those pieces took time to put back together…a long time. You could neither awake, nor understand in that state. So instead…you slept. Waiting to be put back together."_

She gave more RIDDLES than ANSWERS! HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO UNDERSTAND? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?

"I-I don't understand! Pieces? Sleeping? Waiting to be put back together? Where am I? Who are you?" I felt a sudden urge to leave. A sudden urge that all was not right…that I had to get away fast. She placed a hand on my forehead then let out a long shush…I felt my line of thought begin to become my own again. The rattling panic that had begun to ensue, calmed…and stranger still…I slowly began to understand. I was waking up from something. She, this girl, was a safe guard to ensure my mind would remain intact! Something had happened! I was asleep! She was my only safe guard! IT ALL MADE SENSE! Perfect sense! …But what had happened?

The girl chuckled at me. _"I see you trying to make sense of everything."_ She brushed her fingers against my cheek, her skin as smooth and as soft as silk. _"Don't."_ I felt the glow of her smile again, her touch becoming lighter her fingers once again brushing past my cheek…slower this time. _"Everything will make sense in time. I promise. For now. Try not to think about it."_ She then looked around, out at the barren whiteness of the space around us. _"Do you remember this place?"_ She looked down at me, the warmth of her smile barring down on me again.

It was now my turn to look at the barren white landscape. "No." Was my answer what I felt was a minute of silence, though to be honest, I had no sense of time nor space in this white void. The glare of the surrounding white was beginning making my head spin. "I feel sick." This, still unknown, girl just chuckled softly and gently touched the space between my shoulder blade.

"_You're just waking up."_ Suddenly her arms came around my neck, enveloping me gently as one would a lover, her dream like soft voice then whispered in my ear. _"Wake up"_

What happened next, is quite frankly, something I would fail to explain properly in my lifetime. The human language does not have any words to describe what happened to any form of justice. Though, I guess if you never try, you never really know right? Does the saying not go 'Nothing ventured, Nothing gained'? So do excuse me as I make a mess of things just now won't you. The only thing I can really compare that moment to. Was like waking up from a dream. I know how cliché that sounds, believe me my guts just revolted at that over used plot device. But in all honesty it was more than that as well (believe you - me, it still confuses me as well), it also felt like, though I can only imagine, that I was an old piece of hardware that had suddenly been powered on. There was that euphoric feel of waking from a pleasant dream, followed (very) quickly by all my senses and nerve endings waking up at the same time. Like being chucked into a freezing cold bath with needles filled with various substances just to wake you up. But yes. Those moments are still something I still can't quite put into words, nothing that I could describe in detail anyway. Everything racing to catch up, things waking up. But I do know this, I never had any control over myself for damn near an hour. And I never went through it alone…both inside and out.

"Hey!" Fang has finally managed to get a tight hold of me, more to stop me from hurting myself than anyone else I think. "Hey! Hey! It's fine!" I think I was trying to stand up…or run…or hit someone…or just lashing out in fear. I'm not sure. "Shhhh." She shushed me as a mother would a child when they had awoken from a bad dream. "Shhh. It's fine. It's all fine now." I remember her patting my head, and crying into her chest for ten minutes, though I don't know what it was about. When she was sure I had calmed she let me pull away from her a tad. "How are ya feelin?"

Hell if I knew the answer to that. The white glare from the sterile light reflected of the pearl white tiles. Several unoccupied beds lined the sides of the room, blank charts mounted on the front of the white steel frames. Unused machines stood next to each bed station, waiting for use, probably the only things in the damn room that weren't white as well. The pillows were saggy and barely used, the sheets were neat and had probably never had a soul under them. All that. Or the room was kept to a high standard, nothing out of place, a hospital ward. A hospital ward. Though to me it was some twisted mad funhouse. A room for a asylum patient trying to find their spilled marbles. My head stung at me, either from the glare of the light or my overthinking (or perhaps both). I felt like I had gone through a train wreck and came out the other side as nothing but a fleshy meat spread.

"Feel like I dented the flower bucket."

My throat felt like sandpaper, a low growling dry voice replacing my usual one. It felt like Freddy Krugar had kept me in his furnace and cranked the thing way beyond maximum. Max roast…hope they like it well done…now I'd made myself hungry.

Fang chuckled. "You look it. Arseless ward apron and all!"

Now THAT. That made me feel a lot better. Lungs felt like they had drowned in chalk though so I couldn't laugh. Her lips sealed then spread out to a wary smile. "Bet you're wanting to know where you are huh? And why you're here."

"Fuck if I want to know right now Fang." I had noticed my inner monologue had been swearing more frequently as well. Fang seemed to note this as well, the wary smile gone she grinned at me instead, obviously amused.

"So who woke up your potty mouth then?"

"A red light runner with a mean side sweep. Never caught the license plates." Something pressed at me. "Any food in this joint?" She shook her head at me.

"Can't do that." She folded her arms. "Take a gander behind you." I heard her adjust a chair beside the bed as I turned.

"…Jesus…"

It was like a shot point blank to the face. The mass of tubes, big, small, lengths of wire, machines taking careful measurements…tubes coming out from under bandages on my person. I wished it was some nightmare, that I was still asleep and would wake in the morning. But there's a difference between dreams and reality…you don't get a sting of pain when you gently pull on the offending items.

"What happened to me?" The sandpaper held a tone of dread to it now. Fang didn't even glance at me fully.

"The tubes and all that junk can go easily, I just need to tell them your awake. But they'll need to keep you on that heart monitor for a day or two. …And…you'll need to stay in a wheelchair for a week or two in till your bodies recovered." That utter look of defeat in Fangs eye when she looked at me. Never in my life…has anyone ever given me such a soul-shattering look. What the word told me, and what her eyes told me, where two different things entirely.

The horror struck look that gave away what I was thinking.

"You've been out for ten months. Doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with you. Called in experts, even they didn't know." She shifted on the wooden chair, a familiar shift for a familiar purch, an action committed to muscle memory.

"Don't think a days not gone by that one of us hasn't come here to check on you. Yuna burnt herself out the first two months, stayed up night after night by your side. Just talking to you while you lay there. When it got to about the fourth month, I think that's when some of us starting buckling down for the long run."

I sat back, the mushy pillow not supporting my back at all.

"I think for Christie it got too painful, coming here everyday. She started skipping classes, not showing up for anything. Hasn't stop her from wandering by the window every so often though…only ever does it near midnight though. Mystery women…waiting for her white knight to wake up eh." Fang suddenly slapped me on the knee. "So don't you sit there lookin glum chum! Everyone's going to be over the moon when I tell them your awake!"

"You didn't really answer my question Fang…" And I saw that helpless look. A look I never saw the woman in front of me wearing in even my most vivid fantasies. A look of loss and defeat…she _REALLY_ didn't want to tell me. Let alone _think_ about it. "Don't worry yourself though." Fang had just opened her mouth, maybe she _was_ going to tell me…maybe she was going to start another topic or use some witty banter. "Really don't think I'd be able to take knowing the truth and remain sane at the moment."

My back ached from the flat pillow, reminding me more of sawdust than a mushy fluffy cloud. My spine shot up in pain in protest to my minor movements…I felt as if I was made of glass and ready to shatter. If you've ever woke up feeling like a train wreck then you are venturing down the right path. Parts of me hurt that previously, I thought never could, and shouldn't have been possible. But yes. I awoke. Not knowing why I was in that hospital white white hospital room, awaked from a strange and familiar dream I couldn't yet put into words…or begin to understand. The sudden dreariness of overexertion came over me suddenly, my stiffness and aches protessting more.

It had obviously shown in my face. Either by a droop of an eyebrow or a haggard look, I still can't tell. But, I was forced back to slumber by Fang…though I found no discomfort in trying to drift off. And in all honesty…I didn't want to be awake for the many tube and life support that would come out of my body during that rest period.

_**It was then I had the most terrible nightmare.**_

_**And I wouldn't have been embarrassed of panicked uttering during my slumber either.**_

_**As a child, my imagination was always active. Conjuring phantoms to provide some sort of entertainment or companionship. But I found they were most real (and perhaps most threatening) , in the darkness – when all light had faded. I would be very forthcoming that, in all honesty, the dark held a very primal fear to me. But one knows simple darkness from the truest of dark nights. The times when our nerves are set on edge and we are more aware than what we thought ever possible.**_

_**But in this dream, I was in a dark place. An old cobble road out in the countryside to be most precise.**_

_**Now I have walked this road many a hundred time during the course of a seasons passing. Be it in the twilight of autumn or the deep dark of moonless winters night. I have walked that road and know it like the back of my hand.**_

_**But this night. A rather peculiar, and chilling, sense came over me – as one gets when unknown instincts detect something amiss. My skin felt unseen eyes apon it. I felt my spine give a long hard shiver as a deep feeling of dread washed over me as the forest trees began to thicken overhead. Sweat began to form on my brow a trickle down the sides of my face, and I am a young man who is as fit as a fiddle and has niary seen a stain of sweat. But this feeling, walking down that cobble road in the forest on a moonless winter night, it played my nerves like a skilful fiddler.**_

_**My overcoat and gentleman's hat felt like pieces of cloth, which they were but to some they are a coat of arms, including me. The walking cane felt like a flimsy well-polished stick even with the steel blade hidden inside (the usual gift for a retiring officer in her majesties royal army). I am a man of steel nerve in the thickest of gunfire…but that might I felt fear of no other. A very deep…very ancient fear. The smallest strands of light where now slipping away in the dense foliage above. And I felt this fear deepen and intensify with each step. But this small dense patch of country woodland forest was by all means, my ONLY ways of quickly getting home, the other being a long lonely walk on the main road. So besides this feeling, I pressed on, thinking it just another trick of my own imagining.**_

_**It was only when the smallest trace of light had almost completely faded, did I decide to stop. A blessing in hindsight, for I would not be writing of this harrowing encounter should I have continued.**_

_**As one would know a cobble road is prone to…inconsistencies. Well it was due to a very self-made stumble that I did stop me in my tracks. The fine leather of my shoe had managed to slip on one of the still damp cobbling pieces since the night's prier rainfall. I lost my balance and ended up flundering for my balance on one foot, looking like a clown to any onlooking wildlife that should have noticed me that night. Shaken, I regained my balance…only to by chance see what had been, no doubt, hunting me that evening.**_

_**You would probably expect me to tell of some grotesque looking abomination with blood red eyes. But no. I wished I had seen that instead, the adapt horror reader in me would have found some comfort in it. Between two of the large oaks, the spot right before the forking in the forest road. I saw what looked to be at first a long length of silk, spanning from one tree to the next. Long strands of near transparent material hung down from this one length of wire like object. These strands seemed alive, swaying, trying to mimic a loose bedcloth in the breeze. The light seemed to play tricks on me, as these long tendril like lines seemed to dance and shimmer in the low light, as stars twinkle on the canvas of the night sky. For a moment, I caught myself moving towards these glittering things of another world, as if my mind weren't my own to control.**_

_**On the third step I managed to catch myself, tearing my eyes away from those enchanting long lines of fallen stars. I felt my own mind rebel against me as I did, cry, begging me to look at them again! As a man would beg for shillings on the street corner for his liquor cravings. I steeled myself, turning to leave…but again came the overwhelming feeling of tremendous fear…and eyes apon my back. I turned, slowly at first, as one would when frightened be them adult or child. But as I began to find the outter most corner of the right tree my courage drew, and I turned with a quick spin. And only shortly would I turn back round, quickly and screaming. For what I saw…I do not know, but it chilled my soul and left me empty. I saw something of the darkest shade of night, humanoid maybe in form, silently leaning up against the left-hand tree of the pair. Its form seemed to pulse rymacally, as if it was not from our mortal plane, merely visiting but leaving at the exact same time. For a split second I was intrigued, my mind falling into all manner of things. But the smooth rhythm in its form changed. I began, very slightly at first, to see colours within its form, fantastic colour of which I have never seen (and have never seen since) swirling and pulsing in a way most calming to ones senses. These colours grew in intensity and I felt myself unable to avert my eyes from their magnificence! I was being pulled into something unimaginably powerful! The colours now were swirling, reds, blue and fantastic rays of white capturing my full being in a storms eye of colour. And then…I felt the most terrible pain 'invade' my mind. I heard, or at least I think I heard, a high pitched scream. Not one of a young child. But of something of a much more sinister nature. I felt my head grind to a halt! My arms and legs almost frozen as this sound tore my inner most being asunder! Then the colours in the tornado on this things form pulsed to a deep muddy red. A furnace of light burst forth from what I could only now think could have been the head of this thing.**_

_**Somehow, I that brillant instant of light, I heard a voice. Deep and familiar, deep and ancient…deep and forever feared. It called me by name, promising to soothe me from the horrible noise poisoning me. But as this thing began to step from its hiding place, a small leaf blocked out its light entirely. The screaming in my mind stopped, my limbs came back to me, and I ran. I ran from that terrible place. I ran and never looked back.**_

"You know you've to space paragraphs out right?" Fang's comment stung at me, even in the still dry dreariness of the anaesthetic.

"Surprised I can still form a sentence on paper." I managed hands shaking with pencil in hand, the sheet of paper rustling like a leaf. "Feel like I want to be sick again…" Fang sighed beside me.

"Well! The nurse did tell you to get lots of rest. But here you are being a stubborn mull trying to write." I caught the poke of fun in her voice, the smile and the way she held herself only enforced it.

She was just pulling my leg, when all was said and done…she just liked seeing me moving again. And all said and done she was the one that brought me the paper after my attempts at sleep failed. A heavy wave of tiredness suddenly crashed through me, I lay down, resting my head on the flat pillow without thinking. Fang chuckled, taking the paper and pencil from me. She rested the pencil on the counter by my bed, but read through the sheet of paper.

"Rather good for someone still under anaesthetic." She looked surprised, maybe even taken aback. "Ever considered getting some of it published? Like in a short stories book or something?"

"Yeah…" I managed weakly, flipping onto my right side with some effort to face her. "Once or twice. Had a series of stories a little far back in the long lost past…but lost them. After that…I never really bothered, felt like trying would just end up in me loosing them again. And my confidence in writing took a heavy hit…so I lost the motivation to write after that." I turned onto my back flopping over like a beached whale. "…Never…never really got back on my feet after that…"

She rather surprisingly touched me on the nose. "Bad thing to throw away, a talent like that. So what. You took a hit in confidence. Just get back on the bike and if you fall over again then you fall over again! Nothing ventured, nothing gained mate!" She had a pointed…a good one. "Right here is something you just done from scratch. With a good idea and some motivation, you'll be back on your feet in no time. AAANNND! It's not like your going to be out that bed lickedy split! So what better time to test out the old engine again eh?" She had a _REALLY_ good point. "But that's for another day eh. You're shattered." Fang switched the little lamplight sitting on the bedpost. "Now just close your eyes and drift off. I'll be around should you need me. And who knows. Might have a few visitors soon."

I had barely heard her close the door when sleep ensnared me. Cooing me into a peaceful slumber. And I swore…just for a few moments. I saw that girl again, sitting with my head laid in her lap in that space that wasn't as empty as I remembered it. I felt her warm hand on my cheek as her soft voice spoke something to me.

"_Welcome home."_

Now. Now I fought against my sense of sleep, trying to stay in this in-between that existed. I caught her hand, she did not pull back as if expecting it…or understanding the action.

"Wh-where am I?" I managed between strong pulls of oncoming deep slumber. But I felt my own strength give as I lost the small arch I had managed in my back. I fell back down fully resting on her. She kept a careful gentle hold on my now limp hand, her hand holding onto mine this time.

"_This is your Eden. Your inner most world. This is where you reside in times of hardship, a place one can escape to when the world become too painful to live in. This is the place where you resided when you were sleeping. A safe place. You need not fear it, as you need not fear me."_ Her words were so calm and gentle. I felt the pull of slumber now heavier on my being…my mind slipping away into the fantastical void of dreams. _"Your tired. Sleep. I will watch over you_."

"Who, who are you?" I stammered like a fish gasping for air out of water, as the need for sleep submerged me in dark silky waters of the dream fantasia.

"_You already know that one. You just can't remember it."_ She chuckled sweetly. _"Now sleep."_ I felt her pull me closer, holding me tight.

And the phantoms of sleep pulled me beneath the waves.


	20. Eternity in Fields of Rain

(You need only endure another chapter of this gloom and doom nonsense :3 We shall have some fun next chapter! And don't worry if you haven't the foggiest what's still going on! You're not meant to know right off the bat folks! I will make all clear in due time, I promise :D Enjoy!)

Eternity in Fields of Rain

I hated hospital rooms. I really do. I dunno what it is about them. Maybe all that white in one place does things to a persons brain? Or the thought that you might be sharing a bed with someone who had just passed away there.

I think for me. It was a bit more simple than I like to think.

I think it was just the fact that I was just stuck there. In that bed. In a room that never changed. With nary a soul to talk to in the late hours of the night or early hours of the morning. Yeah. I think that's why I hated that room.

Once you feel the breeze flowing through your wings…it's hard to not think about it when you're grounded. Yeah. I think that's it exactly.

I remember those first few nights being the hardest to doze off. I'd usually be up at some god-forsaken hour of the night or morning, woken by a terrible pain somewhere inside me. Not one of these kinds of pain that you can just pop a painkiller and it's all sorted. True pain. When your bodies screaming at you that it's hurtin' bad, that something isn't right with it. I wanted to scream every time. But I just use to grit my teeth and bare it, feeling sick to the pit of my stomach in the process and driven half-insane in the process. Soul destroying pain…the one that breaks hardened men. That's what I had. And I wasn't one of those hardened men. No badass mother here. No sir! Just little old frail me trying not to cry from the big bad old pain. Those first few nights were the worst…and probably the loneliest of my time in there.

And if it wasn't the pain the woke me. It would be a nightmare or just wandering back to the waking world on accident, you'd have figured that taking a wrong turn or two in your dreamverse wouldn't lead you back to the waking world eh, well go figure it certainly does. What drove me up the wall though were the times where you close your eyes but sleep never takes you. You start to drift off for a second or two…but you're still fully there. You can try screwing you eyes shut, but no luck. Still awake, still ticking and not dreaming!

Maybe you know what I'm on about.

Maybe you don't.

And if so then I would count yourself lucky for a peaceful slumber every night.

But that's how most of those nights went for me. Just myself, the blue glow from the white tiles, and nothing but my own thoughts to see me through the long sleepless hours.

If you've ever been in that same spot. You'll know how long those hours are.

It's like eternity in there…

I rubbed my eyes, the long drawn out third person monologue throwing me from my original train of thought. I didn't want to even venture a look at the clock on the wall…I didn't want to know how many hours I hadn't slept. The glow of the room was a cold shade of light blue, telling me it was sometime early morning. Maybe 1am or 2am, if I was to hazard a guess. I felt done in…haggard, tired, unable to sleep…please! Just shoot me now! Preferable with a tranquilliser gun loaded with a heavy dosage. The idea was bliss to me. It would give me sleep. A moment of sanity in this timeless pure white time capsule of mine. An escape. Just a moment…nothing all. Please. It's all I ask for. Just a moment.

"Can't sleep?" The cold but warm voice echoed from nowhere. The owner being a familiar white haired woman. Her wolven ice blue eyes glittering in the pale twilight lighting.

"Christie…" I managed barely. Her name sticking in my throat like a tenaciously sticky toffee.

I could have broken down in tears right there and then. I honestly could have. I was relieved to see her again, to see the real her instead of just the ghosts of memories long past. It was her warm hand resting on my cheek that held them back. The glittering warmth of the look in her cold steel eyes.

"We're really here aren't we? This is real right?" Her voice threatened to break into a sob as she talked to me as if in a far away dream of her own.

"Yeah." I cupped her hand on my cheek, the heat of it spreading through the palm of my hand. "Yeah. This is real."

It was enough for her. It was enough for me. The hand on my cheek pulled me forward, her torso coming up with it, her other arm wrapping around my shoulder. And as she came closer, I wrapped my arm round her waist, gripping the black cotton of her plain long sleeved sweeter. It was like a scene from a romance movie. Two long lost lovers holding onto one another as if the world was about to end. Truth was, our worlds had already done that. I was gripping her so tight that I thought I would hear the material of her jumper tare. And I think she thought my neck might have broke with the force she was pulling me toward her chest with. I remember how fast her heart was racing, I could barely count to one without it beating six or eight times. And mine wasn't that well off either, the heart monitor was beeping up a storm when I had finally realised it was still there.

To be honest there wasn't much at all said to each other after that. Christie came there in nothing but her black long sleeve jumper and a pair of white pants. I had been surprised the sound of her barefoot hadn't woken me out of my whirlwind of thoughts. But I guess I was just too far gone looking up at that pure white ceiling that I just became absorbed in them. Well…Christie stayed that night. Wrapping up in the covers next to me. I think she was thankful for the company as well. But yeah…I never drifted off for sometime, but I remember her laying there quite peacefully, with a smile on her face. And I was laying there smiling along with her. And in the end, it was the sound of her soft breathing, the weight of her head on my chest and sides…and the warmth of her lying next to me. That finally let me drift off to sleep. And NO, for all you sick minded things out there, we did not get up to anything!

And I really need to stop these inner third person monologue's…it's like in talking to an unseen audience here!

"_She really loves you."_ I pulled up at the suddenness the voice invaded my thoughts. I shot up and out, climbing to my feet faster than I ever thought possible, and turning like a flash of lightning on the voices owner. But when I gazed apon the face…the suddenness left me. For reasons I don't yet know. The girl that had been haunting my recent dreams smiled at me, her form clear as crystal. _"You're coming along well!"_ Her hair was raven black and long, it reached well below the small in her back laying neatly on the grass she was knelt on. Her frame was average but light and delicate, trimmed to an hour glass shape. She watched me happily, even inquisitively, with deep sky blue eyes darting in and out of her long banged fringe. Her small hands sat neatly on her thighs that were covered in the shawl of her long white night gown.

I blinked, finding myself staring at her. She chuckled understandingly at me. But before I asked. I noticed the grass field we were in, long and healthy, they spread for miles – further than I could have ever dreamed seen let alone see. Small bulbs of white flowers and young trees were hidden in the grass as well. The sky above us, though dark and dreary, had small rays of sunlight casting down from between the clouds above. Again I felt that feeling of familarity to this place, but stronger than last time around. Where in the world was I?

"Where exactly am I?" I asked as I broke from watching the clouded sky. The girl just smiled me.

"_You always ask questions you already know the answer to."_ I felt the unintentional remark bite at me slightly. The girl stood, her height only just reaching my own, she was maybe just half a head shorter than I was. _"This is still your Eden. Though not as blank and barren as when you last visited it."_

I blinked – it oddly made sense to me. "So I'm inside my own head?" I felt stupid for asking. She nodded, smiling gently as she always did. It made a whole ton of sense now. "So…did you plant all the grass and flowers then?" She shook her head this time, an action I knew she would make.

"_You did. All that blossoms and builds itself is done by yourself!"_ Her expression saddened only ever so slightly. _"I wished you could have seen it before all this – it truly was a paradise. One would lose themselves in its beauty for a millennia and still not see everything."_

"You called it and 'Eden'. Would 'Paradise' not be more suitable?" I mentally kicked myself for that one, but regardless she just stood smiling at me.

"_Do they not mean the same thing though? An Eden and Paradise. A place one can live in peace and forget ones troubles. Time stands still here – it always has."_ I watched as this girl ever so carefully lifted one of the bulbs of a flower hidden in the grass, and watched as it bloomed sending small specs of morning dew out with its arrival.

I felt a red hot scream run through me, robbing my energy. I collapsed to a knee the hot pain now at a screeching in my head. She flew to me, her light gentle touch coming to my shoulder as briefly I saw the blades of grass turn to razors in place of green blades.

"Who are you?" I managed, almost choking. "Who are you? What are you? Tell me!" My answer came swiftly.

I heard a low flumph and a light soft touch came to the back of my neck. I felt her small gentle thin hands climb their way to my cheek, where the lay flat against then, letting her move my head and gaze with ease. The look in her deep sky blue eyes was on of hurt, maybe not for her but me. And I saw, of which I am fairly sure, the shape of long white feathered wings behind her. Still stunned and speechless I felt her pull me into her warm comforting hold.

"_Callest me whatever thy wishes."_ Her soft voice tickled in my ear, her warmth seeping into me. The soft white feathers brushed again against my right cheek, her heavenly white wings arched around us. _"And should you feel your heart grow heavy. Remember that I am here for you. Watching and waiting."_ Again she filled my head with more questions, the sudden change in manner of her speaking almost throwing me, almost. And then she done something I did not expect, she gently ran a finger down my cheek. Brisk and soft her touch that sent a warm wave across my being. _"Tis a guardian angels job to protect her dearest, no?"_ And she looked at me so warmly, as if I would feel myself melt under her gaze, to simply melt to nothingness under those orbs of deep sky blue. And then she smiled and chuckled and held her face next to mine, her hold pulling me closer to her. _"I only just thee. I know thy heart is torn between two already."_ And she let me come away from her, then stood and placed a dainty finger on my nose. _"Be thyself, and nothing more."_

Full of wonder I sat for but a moment – to sit and think as I had done for hours before. To sit and think so deep, and nothing more. She must have noticed the depth of thought on my features as she came down to my level.

"_I'm sorry."_ She uttered. _"You must already think yourself mad. Sitting, wondering if you are dreaming – or still awake and mad to the core."_ I managed to tilt up and look at her, away from the budding white flowers sitting around my legs. _"My rhyming and old words won't be helping either. Like reading two halves of two different books and trying to mash them together in a hurry."_

"Yeah, something like that." I managed as my train of deep thought finally left me. "So how did you learn all that anyway?" I ventured, feeling a small glint of ominous regret for asking it. She held steady at this, face either drooping or smiling.

"_From you."_ She put startlingly simply, and I felt myself grow cold. She took instant notice, waving her hands about in a panic. _"Not to say it didn't learn it directly from you that is! Um! How to explain!"_ She riled herself into a frantic tissy. _"Before you awoke from your long slumber, I was placed in here. So that when you might awake, I could help you make sense of things. Though I admit I've done very little to help you understand!"_ Her face went red from embarrassment, eye fluttering in a panic, hands waving apologetically. _"And uh! You were asleep for so long and I uh! Peeked into what you had learned. And I sat reading for hours on end from all kinds of books and stories!"_

"'Peeked'?" I raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"_Um!"_ She fluttering in panic again face growing redder, I fought to hold back a chuckle. _"Well. Um. When one reads something like a book, they retain what they've read. That information can be passed into our inner most part of ourselves. For example. I can easily find stories you yourself have written in the past, or, are thinking about writing. The same goes for things you have read and enjoyed so much. What you want to remember – so to speak."_

"So any book I've ever read…you're saying that you can read it in here. In my mind…my minds eye?" There was a pause, then she nodded. I was still trying to get my own head around it. "So what am I doing now? Sleeping?" She nodded again. "…I don't quite believe it myself…but it makes a lot of sense." I rubbed my eyes, out of tiredness, or in a gesture of showing one is still taking in what is made clear to them. "So what about you? Where did you come from?" I saw her shoulders sag slight a sorrowful pout came to her expression, her white wings drooping.

"_Now is not the right time to say…"_ She fiddled with her hands, wringing them nervously. I had obviously put her in another pickle. _"I could only ever say when the time is right. Or the outcome would be…unfavourable."_

I chuckled, trying to show her I didn't mind. "Fair enough." I smiled and she smiled back looking more at ease, her wings no longer drooping – face no longer tomato red.

I lay back in the grass feeling worn and haggard. Mind running a thousand miles an hour, about to fly of the tracks and crash into some godforsaken wood. Maybe there would be a heavy fog there and a little town (you know, the sort of place everyone one ends up in when they're lost) and maybe some deep ancient mystery to solve. But I'm thinking that would be too far fetched…even for my current situation.

_**There's a girl with angel wings living in my head.**_

Go figure.

"_You really do spend a lot of time thinking. Don't you?"_ She had lain down beside me in the grass now, hands resting on her flat stomach. Eyes watching me like a curious hawk watches a rabbit from the snow mountain tops.

"It's all I really can do just now. Think and sleep. Or try and write something…or doodle." My legs felt fine in that place, young and fresh. But back in the real world, in that white white room in that white white hospital bed…they were like two lumps of led that I struggled to move. My whole body felt like that sometimes. **Dead weight**.

It was then I felt a splatter of fine rain hit me on the face.

"_You really mustn't think such sad things…"_ I looked over at her. _"The skies cloud here whenever you feel down, and the rain falls in sheets whenever you feel sad. This place."_ She paused as the small lines of rain thickened. _"This place has seen enough rain."_ I felt her take my left hand gently in her. _"Please. Think of happier times. We did not rebuild this place…for it endlessly rain."_ I felt her hand grip mine tighter, and I thought, just for a second – I caught the small sign of a tear fall from her sky blue eyes…though now – they reminded me of the deep ocean, with the new watery tint from her tears.

**_There's a girl with angel wings living in my head._**

**_Who hates the rain._**


	21. Welcome Back, But Not To Normality

(It brightens up a paragraphs in I swear :D After this chappie let's get back to having a bit of fun eh? ^^)

Welcome Back. But Not To Normality

I felt Groggy.

Sick to the bottom of my stomach.

_Weak._

When I woke up next morning.

'**Dead weight.'**

While I was sleeping…while _**we**_ were sleeping, the nurses had begun some sort of purging of my system. Christie had been quick to tell me they were flushing the drugs they had been using out of my system. Fang only reinforced it after showing up at half eleven and then asking one of the nurses. It didn't stop me feeling like a train wreck though. I couldn't even try and sleep it off…bad dreams. I felt like death warmed over for about an hour or two. Only after that, I started to feel slightly better – only slightly though. I swear during that first hour, I felt my brain swimming in something. Nothing horrible like sewer water or a marshy swamp. Nah, nothing like that. It was more of this floating in a really warm sea sorta feeling – like how you picture the Caribbean sea in your head – and I was just floating there on the surface feeling at peace. Far away…spirited away, if I might be so bold. But yeah, that's where I was that first hour. Floating in the middle of some warm ocean, the dawning sun casting a warm fiery orange tint to the calm waves. The surrounding water so clear you'd have thought it was just soft clear glass. And these little speaks of orange would every now and then lift from the tops of the gentle waves, they raise up be catch by the sun and make this twinkling that would enchant ya.

Hell…I'd have given anything to go back there the second hour. Was like getting dragged across a corral rife with salt on you back, while someone twisted your insides in knots. I'd have taken that warm sea over anything…but I guess sometimes you just don't get a choice in those sort of things.

The cramp in my stomach had finally subsided about half one in the afternoon. The grinding pain left me about five minutes after two. Christie and Fang had been back and to during those two hours – the nurses had kicked them out a few times saying I needed my rest – but they'd always stay with me a while to make sure I was still sane. But yeah…that last hour on repeat, NO THANK YOU!

After a bit of struggle with the nursing staff Fang finally pushed in through the door – the locking clicking behind her.

"Hey zombie!" She beamed a smile as she came over wasting no time in ruffling my hair when she got close enough. "That's you all sorted then chum!" I had this nudging feeling she meant something else entirely. I opened my mouth to ask but I got cut off before I could utter a word out. "Nurses said they'd let me take ya away back to your room at the end of the day." THAT was what the smile was about. I was finally getting out. FINALLY FREE FROM THOSE WHITE GLARING TILES!

"There's a catch though." Fang suddenly put, like a gambler putting his last chips on the table and letting lady luck take the dice.

"Catch?" I ventured, feeling as if something was going rotten in my stomach.

"Yeah…they won't. They won't let you walk out of here on your own."

"But I have you with me." If the grogginess hadn't have ensnared my thoughts I wouldn't have said such a stupid thing.

"No. _Walk_ Max. Think very carefully what that means." Fang's face said it all. I saw two big shinny wheels in my future. It was like a slap in the face.

"…A wheelchair?" I hoped it was just another nightmare created by the chemicals being flushed out of my system. Though it wasn't…even if I wished it away like a child. My eyes dropped, dropped into a dark murky place…Fang was there to pull me out of it though.

"Hey! It's only for a couple of days. It's not like you'll be in it the rest of your life…maybe." The last bit didn't inspire confidence. "But you're not getting told you've woken up with terminal cancer. So you turn that frown upside down! Some people wake up to hear a lot shittyier news than you just did!"

It wasn't the most obvious point to a mind slowed down by chemicals and ten months in a coma. But it was enough to show me she had a valid point. I hadn't woken up with terminal brain cancer and only had two days to live. I hadn't woken up and been told I was paralysed from the neck down – because some clumsy janitor had dropped the industrial hover on me while I was dozing. I just had to be in the wheelchair for safety purposes. I mean, I had been asleep of TEN MONTHS! Of course my legs were going to be a lot weaker than what they were! And in all honesty. I wasn't so bad once you were finally in the drivers seat. When I sat in that wheelchair – it was childish – but I felt like I was a formula one car. Sure I couldn't push it worth a damn with my lack of strength from bone malnourished arms, but hell, it was fun once I was moving. And to be out of that damned white hospital room. It was your basic walk, push, back to the dorm rooms. Just friends being friends. Fang was busy telling me everything that had been going on. Trying to lighten the mood, bring things into a softer, lighter place. She told me off how Hitomi had fallen asleep in her breakfast cereal, the poor thing had stayed up three nights in a row and working on nothing but black coffee to keep her awake. I really wished I had been around for that.

Or how Gippal freaked out at the History exam and ended up getting thrown out the hall for creating a scene. Or Yuna blundering her lines in the Drama exam.

Clunk. "Gah fuck!" Was my response to Fang accidentally on purpose ramming my chair into the dorm room door.

"That hurt?" She grinned, obviously getting me back for something that escaped me. Or out of malice.

"Yeah! My legs are just weak! They're not dead Fang!" She ruffled my hair annoyingly. We'd come into the hallway, making our way past the rows of closed dorm room doors. "So is everyone doing an exam today?" I broke the silence before it could settle.

"Yup!" Was her simple answer. Not one I was looking for. Far too short for someone clamouring for conversation.

"So is that their last one? When does it finish?" By now we had gone to my dorm room. Fang had turned the key in the lock, twisting the handle with easy she turned to me…and a small proud smile graced her lips. The door slowly swung open…familiar faces all waiting inside.

"Why don't you ask em?" She wheeled me in, my arms were limp biscuits soaked in tea at my side, crumbling away as I tried to fish them out with a spoon.

The warmth hit me. Familiar faces, familiar figures, embracing me all at once. I was buried under them. Buried in the warm, loving heat of my family away from home. The ones I called friends. The ones I felt the closest to my heart. Those who 'I' would be 'fr'iends to the 'end' with. Some dry held back sobs murmured in the heated pile of bodies. Faces hidden by chest and arms. A choked sob or two. My eyes weren't dry at the sight of all of them. The muffled or choking sayings of 'Welcome back' made my heart skip beats, made me warm and feel wanted inside. I could feel Yuna pressing her face into my chest, tears soaking through my T-shirt touching my skin with watery coldness. Christie had hold of my arm her face resting on my shoulder, eyes glistening ever so slightly with a well earned tear. The others held on…I felt warm after such a long time. Warmed, and pulled, from a very dark place.

_We are but creatures of warmth._

_Left alone we cool and turn to ice._

_Where we dream of sleepless dreams._

_Waiting to wake from our cold slumber._

_To the light of warmer days._

After what seemed like a warm forever they began to pull away. Leaving me there, sitting, smiling, with a joyful tear rolling down my cheek. The rest of simply just catching up, friends being friends. Banter, laughs, tears and welcome back.

Welcome back.

Welcome back…

"So how long are you going to have your set of wheels then?" Gippal got, by the looks of it, a very hard elbow from Yuna for his comment. Add onto that a VERY stern glare thrown in.

"Not long! Maybe a week or two if I remember correctly!" I spun around, taking more out of myself then I thought with the resistance of the carpet on the wheels. "Better than being stuck in a bed though!" I had managed to find that part of me that could always smile. A talent learned after years…that very few find.

"Well we're going to cut the down to a day…" The way Rikku looked at me made me doubt she was ever having me on. "Shinra's working on something. It will get you up and out of the wheelchair." Then a flash came to her eye. "I wanna ride around in it sooo bad!" She pulled at her hair, trying to resist the temptation.

I smiled a cheeky smile. "Then got over here misses!" She came sit over leaping up onto my knees. "TO THE MOON!" I began to spin us around, Rikku giggling her heart out.

"A lot of energy for someone who's been practically dead for ten months…" Paine's comment caught the same stern glare from Yuna as Gippals did. Paine shrugged it off easily not intimidated, or maybe not caring, about what Yuna was trying to throw at her. That was in till the pillow smacked her full on in the face. "The hell was that for Yuna?" Paine growled.

"For being so serious and grumpy." Yuna puffed her cheeks out. Paine lightened after a moment itching her nose apologetically, a blush creeping across her nose, she avoided me when I looked over. Though I couldn't make much out from the room constantly spinning.

We all sat down to watch a movie a few minutes after. It was one of these comedies about a group of friends that get into some funny situation. 'Parked Weasels' Tidus picked it. I don't remember much of it, I started to drift off about a quarter of the way in, not because I was bored. I mean I never sleep or fall asleep during movies! I just started getting sleeping…maybe Yuna sitting on my lap wasn't helping, I forgot how warm she was. Or maybe it was just the plain fact she fell asleep before me. I don't know. But I know they left us sleeping.

"Hey." Some pressure on my temple. "HEY!" The pressure came again harder this time. My eyes popped open, meeting a pair of sky blues. The hazy blur of sleep disolved, I made out the face in front of me. The tired face of Hitomi. "Wakey wakey sleepy head!" She beamed me a smile, Yuna tussled on my lap drifting back from her slumber. "Sorry Yuna." She just smiled at her.

"It's fine! I was just about to get up anyway." Yuna gave a yawn, picking herself up with effort and wandering over towards her dresser. "You've got you're Al Bhed exam today don't you Hitomi?" Yuna gathered some clothes in hand rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Yup! I'm so nervous! I was up all night studying for it!" It was then I noticed bags under her eyes. How she was slightly swaying on her feet. "Did you get any study done?" Yuna shook her head at Hitomi heading to the bathroom in a hurry. "Oh dear…you'll be fine though! You can speak Al Bhed more fluently than me anyway."

"It's the spelling I get touchy with!" There was a small crash from the bathroom. "And I'm not using Snow detergent on these jeans again! They've shrunk!" There was a little more crashing from the bathroom before a large rip tore through the small space. Silence followed.

I pushed myself over to the door. "You ok in there? You're not hurt are you?"

"…No…" Came the very timid reply. "But. Could you get me a new pair of jeans from my things…I've torn these ones…" I could have just imagined Yuna's bright red face just now. Hitomi was quick to hand me a pair, I knocked on the door and a hand ventured out to take the jeans…though it grabbed my face instead. "Sorry!" Came the hasty soft embarrassed voice from the bathroom. The arm managed to find the jeans on its hasty retreat back behind the door. I rolled away from the door, a few seconds later Yuna emerged ripped jeans in hand and the new pair on her. Her gunner top rounded the whole thing off nicely, giving it a casual summer wear look. "I'm really sorry about that." Yuna watched the ground.

"Tis fine!" I waved it away with a hand doing a wee spin in my wheelchair. "Guess you two aren't going to be around most of the day then huh?" The two wore a guilty look…watching the floor. "It's fine!" I added very quickly not wanting to make them feel bad. "I'll catch you two afterwards!" I smiled, they returned them.

As Yuna was collecting various bits and bobs Hitomi asked "When's the next chapter going to be up?" Her face was beaming with excitement…though the question confused me. Chapter?

"What?" I blinked the confusion obviously showing in my voice.

"On the blog. All the stories you've been uploading. When are you publishing the next chapter for White Mercury? You mentioned it was going to be soonish."

"I…I have no idea what you're talking about Hitomi." I rubbed the back of my neck, really not knowing what to say. It seemed to click for her though.

"Oh!" She gave suddenly, Yuna almost dropping her revision book and notepad with the suddenness it came out. "Fang's not handed control over to you yet has she? I'm so sorry! I must have been confusing you." Hitomi began to blush, badly. "It's just I thought you would have found out sooner! I mean-em! It's not that I didn't think you would forget about your writing! I-I! I just thought that she would have told you about the whole blog thing sooner since your stories have been in the student newspaper and the blog was to make it more accessible to everyone on! And! Um!" It was one big run on sentence, formed by nerves and embarrassment…and something else?

"Wow! Wow! Hito it's fine!" I felt a bead of sweat form on my brow a nervous smile playing my lips, I felt like an anime character. "I had no idea. You don't need to be so nervous about the whole thing ok. Really! It's fine!" She visibly calmed, face still beat red though and her skin was a fair few shades brighter than it usually was.

Hitomi quickly checked her watch. "Oh! Would you look at that! We're going to be late if we stay her any longer!" Hitomi quickly took Yuna by the arm and rushed towards the door. "We'll have to catch up later! See ya!" The door slammed shut. Two sets of footsteps barrelling away down the corridor.

And I sat there. In a stupor. Wondering what the hell just happened. All I had done is smiled at her and she freaked out and got even more flustered. A very inner thought passed over me…one I smothered quickly before it would root itself. I put it down to nerves from study and the upcoming exam…it couldn't be that she…could it? Again I pushed the thought from my head. I wasn't the type Hitomi would go for! No way! Yet…what type did she go for? My face blushed the more I thought about it. But I already had my hands full…I mean. I have Yuna and Christie…and one day…I'm going to have to chose and break ones heart. To add another into the mix. Breaking the heart of one you care about is hard enough to bare as is. I wasn't able to think any longer on the subject as the door to the room was batted in. Snow was heaving something on his back, Shinra popped round him with a flask of something green and bubbling.

"What's all this?" Snow cracked his back, ignoring my question. Shinra pushed the flash up to me. "Shin…it's green…" He stared at me.

"Don't be such a kid…just drink it."

And. Despite my better judgement. I downed the entire thing I a oner, didn't even let it touch the back of my mouth just straight down the hatch. It came up in a burp of grey smoke that shrouded the entire room, coughing could be heard from out in the hall.

"What the hell Shin?" Gippals voice poured in from the doorway.

"…I'm just a kid…"

"Oh yeah right! Someone get the window!"

"I got it!" Snows voice sounded over from near the balcony doors. "Gah! It's stuck!"

"You have to twist, push a wee bit then pull it. The doors a bit sticky!" I twitched at the high pitch of my own 'voice'. I sounded like a chipmunk…

"Got it!" I could hear the balcony door rubber give, the thick smog started to clear. "Could someone shut him up?" Gippal had been laughing his ass of on the floor from my high pitched voice for a whole 10 seconds now.

"You should be able to stand up and out of that wheelchair now Max." Shinra was by the main door, I could only slightly make him out in the smoke.

"Kay. I'll try." Again I winced at the pitch of my own voice, though it had began to normalise more. Surprisenly…my legs let me lift myself from the wheelchair with ease. As if nothing had ever happened. By now the smoke had nearly all but dissipated. And Gippal had shut his trap. I gave my legs a stretch, nothing felt out of place. "Think I'm all good to go Shin!" I was still a little high in the voice area…but at least I wasn't walking around on an extra leg or anything. I noticed the weird look Snow and Gippal were giving me. Astonishment, maybe even perhaps a small bit of confusion and fear mixed in. "What?" I gave worriedly.

Shinra lowered his head a bit. "I know I made a miscalculation somewhere…" His voice drew off obviously pulling into his thoughts.

"What do you mean miscalcula-" I stopped half way to scratching my neck. My hand had brushed against very soft LONG hair. My voice was…feminine. I looked down dreading what I was going to met…knowing what I was going to met now with shocking clarity. My frame was smaller, my clothes were hanging loosely as if I had shrunk a few sizes…but more importantly. Two alien objects protruding from my pecks. "Shinra….you…YOU'VE TURNED ME INTO A GIRL?" I screamed with feral rage.


	22. Gender Bender

Gender Bender

The scene wasn't pretty. I was sat on my bed crossed legged, Shinra was hidding away under Yuna's computer table trying not to die from the death glare I was giving him. Gippal was passed out on the floor a large bump raised on his head from where Snow had hit him to shut him up. Snow was pacing back and forth, trying his hardest to think of something. I suppose he was trying to think of how to explain all this if anyone happened to walk in on this bizzaro scene. His heavy boots were clunking around in the carpet making me think if a stampede passed outside it would be drowned out by his pacing. I threw a look down at the now loss hanging clothes on my thinner now feminine frame. My favourite shirt and jeans were practically hanging off me, the only thing that actually fit me was my socks! I tangled a leg over the bed idly swinging it from side to side. How WOULD we explain this if anyone else happened to walk in on us? Would they realise I was me? I twirled the long brown hair I was now graced with, curling my lip trying to tell myself it was just some stupid day dream I was caught up in. Or maybe wishing that whatever I had drank was some sort of drug that caused hallucinations – and that back in the real world I was just rolling around on the ground thinking I'm some sort of butterfly stroking fish.

"Will it ware off?" Snow asked with some frustration, Shinra managed to clamber out from under the desk – no longer under the impression I was going to kill him.

"It's…unlikely." That made my heart sink. "I'll be able to manufacture a cure in about twenty four hours though…" I noticed Shinra wobble on his feet. "I just have to…have to…" He yawned. "Have to…s-" Shinra collapsed forward, I sprung from the bed catching him mere inches from taking a rather painful nose-dive into the floor. Soft carpet or not it still would have hurt.

I flipped Shinra over gently, he was fast asleep, his soft breathing gave away the fact he was in a very deep sleep. I struggled, trying to find a position that felt right holding the little guy…my new body made things…awkward. Anyway I held him, it felt perverted, the little voice in the back of my head screaming out in terror. Snow seemed to notice.

"You're not looking very…positive." He gave this rather nervous smile. I pondered over showing him just how 'positive' I was feeling…but poor Shinra would have been snapped in half if I did. So, no. I settled for a glare. "Right. Someone's not a very happy bunny." That was Fangs cue to bust the door in on our little – bizarre – situation.

She stood motionless for a second, foot still in mind air (she really did kick the door in!) face blank. She blinked…and finally burst out laughing turning her back on us and curling up on the floor. My face went bright red. "That's not who I think it is, is it?" She looked over her shoulder at us eyes watering, Snow nodded and Fang had another laughing fit. Fang crawled over giggling and place her hands on either side of my face. "Daw! Look at big sissy Maxi looking after baby brother Shinra!" She sniggered having to pause every so often to laugh. I felt the vain standing out on my forehead, eye twitching dangerously. "Aaaaaw! She looks even cuter when she's mad!" Fang had gone so beyond the point of laughing she'd started to splutter – like when you tickle a child too much and they do that little half trying to breath and laugh thing and it sounds really odd – her cheeks had become more than a little rosy.

"Soooo…how are we going to keep this under wraps?" Gippal had finally managed to come too, he was busy nursing his head to bother making some stupid pun. If he did it wouldn't have been Snow that would have hit him this time.

"What do you mean 'under wraps'? It's not like we can keep this a secret!" Snow pointed a finger at me. "He turned into a girl! Were you NOT watching? It's not like we can just tell everyone. They'd never believe it!" I wanted to interject with a 'They certainly would' but Fang was pulling on my cheeks. So Snow carried on. "We need to disguise him! Her! It! While Shinra makes another potion that can remaleify him!" Was that even a word? No. "Well dress him up in a spare uniform or clothes! Or something! And pass him off as a foreign exchange student!"

"Pass who off as a foreign exchange student?" Everyone froze at the cold voice slithering over from the door…except Fang who was now hugging me from behind and swaying from side to side cooing 'Lil Maxi'. Silence hung in the air, in till Christie threw a rather dangerous look at Gippal. He spilled his guts in a single breath. Her eyes wandered over to me, sitting on the floor half puzzled and mortified with a tribal woman squeezing me from behind cooing some nonsense…I smiled nervously and managed to twinkle my fingers at her. She shook her head. "I can't leave him with you boys for a couple of seconds can I?" She managed this meek smile but you could hear the disappointment she was holding back leaking out between her words. There was a little akward silence in till she added "And get off him Fang…you're not helping."

"Awww!" Fang whinged like a little girl, resting my head on my shoulder she puffed her cheeks out. "But he's so cute and I love cute things. Just a few minutes longer?"

"No." Christie shot her a disgusted look.

Fang sat back, releasing me and giving out a heavy sigh like a child who had been told off by their parent. "…You're no fun…" Fang twiddled her thumbs idly.

Christie finally came into the room, swinging her duffel bag onto Yuna's bed she unzipped it and rummaged inside. She pulled something orange in a beaker out, I knew where this was going before she even walked over to me and stuck it in front of me.

"I'm…not drinking that." It was orange…and giving off some yellow vapour. I shuddered at my higher pitched voice even if it had evened out to a rather nice tone. Christie jiggled the beaker in front of me as if trying to entice me. "No." I stated, sounding a lot like a very serious Yuna.

"Don't be such a girl…" Christie pushed it into my hands "No pun intended." I looked at her, stubbornly not wanting to down the strange concoction. Christie then leaned in close adding frighteningly "Drink it…or I'll set Fang on you with some toys."

Terrified for my life I downed it in a few nanoseconds. Again I the air erupted in a plume of smoke – orange this time – and Snow once again fumbled for the balcony doors handle. With the smoke clearing and the cough subsiding, I dared a question.

"Did it work?" My voice was enough to know that it had indeed failed. Grumbling something to myself I caught the looks I was getting from the others. "What?" I gave nervously, half wanting to know half wanting to remain ignorant to the obvious change. Fang and Gippal looked ready to deck themselves, Christie was looking on in disbelief…and Snow seemed to be just plain lost.

"Holo?" Came the sleepy reply from my lap, Shinra had finally rose from his slumber.

My hands shot up to my head, grasping for something foreign, grasping for something I hoped wasn't there. My fingers brushed against something…soft and fluffy…that wasn't my hair. I stood up, accidentally propelling a drowsy Shinra off my lap. I felt around the base of my back, hoping I wouldn't find something to match what was now on my head. I found nothing…I sighed relieved. My only new addition was a pair of cat ears.

"Why me…" I managed, sitting down, ears dropping. "I should have just left the stupid potion and EVERYTHING would be fine!" I felt a rant coming on, I smothered it not wanting to look like some Mary Sue – always crying about nothing. I let out a sigh laying back. "Anyone got a mirror?" They looked at me like a madman, as quickly as I lay down I sat back up. "I haven't seen my new self! Plus I'm a little curious about these things." I pointed to the cat ears on my head, wiggling fairly instinctively to draw attention to them.

Christie rummaged through her duffel bag and after a moment or two handed me a small handheld mirror. The delicate face that looked back at me wasn't as surprising as I first thought it would be. I felt very at easy with the girl that was looking back at me in the mirror. She had long brown hair that came down in three long bangs over her ice blue eyes. Sitting neatly on her head were indeed a pair of brown cat ears. Setting the mirror down I came back to the norm…accepting it all. I looked…rather cute as a girl.

"That's it?" Fang leaned in maybe thinking I was in shock. "No screaming. No hissy fit. No nothing?" I nodded slowly. Fang shrugged moving away.

"Or rather he's just getting on with it Fang. He's been through enough as it is." Christie hit it dead on. I had probably only been wake for a few hours at most, I wasn't about to lie down and play dead. I had only just started walking and moving around again. To me, it was just a body change – I was still me – alive and kicking.

"Anyone we bump into, just tell them the truth." I stood up dusting myself off for no apparent reason. "It's not like we hadn't had some crazy adventures already. And Shinra is a whiz kid so its not too far fetched for him to make a gender changing potion." My stomach growled rather unceremoniously.

"That wasn't very lady like dude…" Gippal chimed in on queue, I shot him a glare.

"Well!" Fang put an arm around my shoulders. "We can't have you running around in clothes too big for you can we? So…" She grinned mischievously like a fairy telling fibs to gullible mortals. I felt naked already…

There came a hammering from Christie bathroom door.

"Come on! Hurry up in there!" Her voice seeped through the wooden door filling the small tiled space with echo's.

"I ain't wearing it!" Silence from the other side of the door. "It's stupid! It took me ten minutes to figure out the damn bra!" I had already taken to habits I never knew I had. I'd kept my trouser and socks on, but I was now shielding my chest with my shirt even though no one could see in and I had bloody underwear on!

"Too small? Too big?" I gawked at the answer that followed. Christie delivered it like it was the topic of everyday life…maybe it was. "It's important you get one that can support you Max. Otherwise you're going to be uncomfortable…"

"It's fine! This one's not as big as the other one." I raised my voice a little since I forgot about the door between us. "It's not like I'm use to this thing Christie!"

The bathroom door flow open, Christie stepped in and…grabbed…me. My face flushed red everyone was watching! She gave a few pulls on the straps making herself look like some old merchant checking a pair of scales for errors. After about thirty seconds of this she stepped away.

"That one will do, just say if the straps are rubbing your shoulder though." She gave a small smile. "You look cute in orange polka dots!" I pushed her out slamming the door shut, I could hear them all laughing, Christie joined them. I stood with my back against the door, face still bright red. There came a knock. "I only meant it in good fun ya know."

"It's fine."

I'd been given a very old uniform that had barely ever been worn by the students attending the campus. Christie had been nice enough to lend it to me - the summer version at that. White knee high socks, white short sleeved shirt and a rather nice blue and black tartan skirt. They fit me nicely the only thing proving rather tricky was the skirt…since it was rather short and I was trying to tease a few extra inches out of it. Finished I emerged from my safe heaven feeling odd in every sense of the word. Clutching my old clothes to my chest like they were some form of protection.

"Nice." Fang grinned at me like a Cheshire cat.

"Very nice." The others chimed in. I felt my cheeks burn red again.

"…The skirts too short…" I peeped out. Not feeling comfortable under the 'so cute' looks I was getting from my friends…worse so from Snow and Gippal.

"It's fine. Just a little bit above your knee is all! You done well to get it there." Christie gave me a reassuring smile. "I barely had it down past my mid-thigh let alone think it could go down THAT far!" She placed a pair of black trainers in front of me, knowing I needed SOME form of familiarity. I put my old clothes on her bed and slipped them on sitting on the bed. "Still need to figure out what we're going to put you in for PE later on…but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!"

I was rushed out of the room shortly after…feeling that I'd have more to worry about than just the length of my skirt before the day was out.


	23. The Past Comes Catching Up

The Past Comes Catching Up

I was being rushed somewhere. Since I had woken up I felt like time was in a desperate rush, making me catch up to it. It took a few tries but I managed to remind the others of my very obvious flaw – the cat ears – Snow gave me one of his old hats to help cover them. Pulling this onto my head I was again whisked away by the others. They wouldn't tell me a damn thing, just smile and say it was a surprise. When we reached the end of the dorms I was suddenly blindfolded…much to my own discomfort. In blackness, chuckles and fragments of conversations I was taken to where ever the hell they were taking me. Off the bat I noticed the air was slightly wetter, the sounds also seemed to reverb less than in the bog standard corridors so that meant the roof was defiantly higher.

Uncomfortable and feeling ill at ease I pushed a question to the people I hoped weren't playing some trick on me. "Can-can I take the blindfold off now?" A second later it was gently removed, my eyes blinded by the sudden rush of light I shielded them.

"Of course you can." The soft gentle voice came, one I recognised. The whiteness began to fade, my vision coming back, I made out the person. Yuna was standing smiling at me, blindfold in hand. Her smile peeked higher "You look a lot cuter than the little boy I left back in my room!" I felt myself blush, Yuna leaned closer a cheerful, teasing, playful tone coming to her voice. "I hope you didn't steal him away! A pretty girl like you! He's so very shy!" She noticed my increasing blush she blushed shyly and briefly tickled her cheek. "I know it's you by the way." She took my hands. "Our hearts are bound together remember? I could never miss you in a crowd!"

I only blushed deeper, heart throbbing in my chest tying my tongue in knots. Even like this she still loved me…I felt my blush deepen defying the brightness that red could climb to. Butterflies were flying about in my stomach, heart threatening to burst from my chest and hug her. It was then I started to notice where we were. Standing on a sort of bridge like pathway, water gathered in deep clear pools between what had to be maybe six or seven bridges leading to other areas. The floor underneath like marble, highly polished it made me think I could slid over it easily. A large singular tower that rose up high into some structure high above. The main map crowded by other students sparked an old familiarity in me. Balamb…but it couldn't be. But yet what I was seeing was real.

"Ah! You recognise it don't you?" Baralai was sitting on the opposite side of the area. He grinned triumphantly at me, like he was an all knowing king about to teach me something old and ancient. "It's only been completed for about two months now. But this is Balamb Garden. Originally they only intended it to be a garden but Squall and a few others petitioned to have the whole thing built instead – a place for the students to relax other than the other game rooms and social areas we have. I guess the library just didn't cut it for them." Baralai hopped down from the wall, the others had pushed to go look at the map – Hitomi was hanging off a little behind Yuna. "So what's it like being a girl then?"

"Why don't you go get a sip from Shins 'potion' and find out yourself?" I felt my ears peek under the hat as I grinned at Lai. He chuckled.

"I'll pass thanks. But-" He rummaged for something in his pocket…pulling a small veil of something clear. "I thought this might be worth a shot." Lai saw the look of suspicion I was eyeing the veil with. "Don't need to take it if you do-" I snatched it off him and down the bitter tasting liquid, swallowing with some difficulty I looked at the others. Baralai looked disappointed. "Sorry Max…didn't wo-Hang on!" He blinked stupidly "What did I put in it to make _that_ happen?…"

Feeling restless I dived onto the rim of the wall. The reflection staring back at me in the water was nothing new…though only at first glance. I was still plagued with cat ears much to my disappointment. But. They along with my hair had changed to a jet black…my left eye was also a sparkling sky blue now. Taking in these changes I climbed off the wall, Baralai was quick to say something.

"Sorry man! I think I must have got one of the ingredients wrongs. Or I didn't boil the mixture a high enough tem-"

"It's fine!" I had perked up surprisingly. "I don't mind really! I mean. I prefer girls with black hair to be honest! And the one odd coloured eye is kinda neat! It's blue as well! I love blue eyes!" I noticed Yuna to the side of me blush slightly at this.

"You just need an eye patch!" Hitomi peeped up from behind skipping over. "Lots of characters in anime or games usually wear an eye patch to symbolise a split personality! We should totally get you one!" She was almost jumping on the spot at the idea.

"There's a flaw in that Hito…" I pointed politely towards Yuna. "Yuna has bicoloured eyes as well and she doesn't wear an eye patch, nor, does she have a split personality."

"But it would be cool!" Hitomi jumped on the spot, missing the point. "Maybe Gippal has an odd one spare he can give you! Oh! OH! Or we can buy one or have one tailored made for you! Get one made that's easy to move from one side of your head to the other! Or with a easy release so you can easily put it on the other side with no hassle when you're feeling a switch coming on!" Ok…she was away in her own little world now. "I'm going to go get you one!" Hitomi ran off. Leaving Yuna, Baralai and I standing in silence.

"She's got a positive way of looking at things…" Lai rubbed the back of his neck, I took this opportunity to put him in a headlock. "Hey! What the hell?"

I noggied him. Hard. Then let him stand up and cast a glare at me with a dumb look of shock on his face. "Got to keep your spirits up Lai!" He stared at me bewildered for a second, then softened getting what I was trying to say. "Hitomi's just trying to take my mind off it is all. She's staying positive like the rest of you are so I'll feel more at home!" I smiled at both Lai and Yuna. "And I feel right at home! So thank you – both of you." I rubbed the back of my neck "And I would say thank you to Hitomi but she's gone running off looking for an eye patch now." I heard them both chuckle, and I felt an icy something begin to thaw.

Yuna smiled at me. "You seem to be getting back to your old self."

"Back in action and dressed all pretty!" I grinned, they both shook their heads at me. "What?…It wasn't that bad was it?" The looks on their faces told me enough. It was. I made a mental note never to use that one again.

I stole the chance to go over toward where all the others were. Gathered round the board they looked like a bunch of tourists trying to decipher a sign in another language. Yet again. A lot of other students were looking at the board, taking a few steps, then returning to double check their plotted course. It was like being able to walk in a memory…a young version of me sitting crossed-legged running around Balamb in a scared youths body – controller clutched in hand. The food hall never left it's spot, the training ground was still looming in silence, the garden was there – everything was as I remembered! Only made real and able to touch. I wouldn't have been surprised if the students who actually belonged to Balamb didn't have dorms here, studied and went to the cafeteria – I imagined a certain tattooed individual would have terrorised the hotdogs on the first day of opening. Though there was a bit of fuzz in my mental overlay, I didn't remember there being a library on the first floor – yet again I didn't think there was one to being with. But old memories have a problem of twisting around and telling you a little lie once in a while. And I don't think they would have kept all the places in Balamb. But it still felt familiar enough…even with the people turning the area around the map into a mosh pit. I safely decided to get out of there, pushing my way out to safety I caught Paine waiting for me outside of the rough deathmatch ring.

"Heyo!" I gave as I came up to her. She obviously wasn't fussed about getting a look at the map. Paine had always hit me as the type who likes to wander. She pushed a mobile phone out in front of me, it took me a few seconds to relies it was mine.

"You might want to take a look at it…when you're not in such a good mood though."

I flipped it open. 250 messages and 100 unanswered calls popping up on the display. The messages were all unread expect for one, from an old friend – a lot of them were from him. I looked up but Paine was gone, wandered off to somewhere before I could thank her. The phone buzzed in my hand, I pressed the answer key and put it to my ear.

"Hello?" I gave hesitantly, I hadn't looked at who was calling. It could have been some salesman for all I knew.

"Max?" Came a very familiar and worried voice. A few other people were muffled in the background. "Max is that you?" My Mother sounded worried.

"Yeah. It's me! You'll have to excuse my voice, we've been working with gas in biology and it's knocked my pitch up something awful!" It still didn't beat the fact I sounded like a girl, nothing could explain that light softness my voice now carried. I felt my heart begin to twist in a very tight knot, words and thoughts slowing to a halt. Seas of emotion beginning to churn.

"Are you alright? You've never answered your phone for months!" She sounded close to crying. "Is it something to do with us? You can talk to us about it! Things have calmed down here now honey!" She sounded _**really**_ close to crying.

"Mum…" I debated about telling the truth. Debated about an answer I already knew the answer to already. "Look – the reason I never answered my phone…" _Forgive me. _"Well the reason I've not been answering is because the schools been doing a lot of renovating. Our phones lines have been down in till now so there was no way I could get in touch with you nor you with me." I felt dirty as the lie rolled off the tip of my tongue. But sometimes you lie to protect the ones you love right? It was better than 'The reason I've never picked up is because I've been in a coma for the past ten months'. That would have broken her. "I'm sorry to have worried you all…" I heard the phone move on the other end of the line a small sob or two emitting in the background.

"Max." The voice of my father choked on the other end of the line slightly. "Go and keep your phone on from now on big man. We were so worried about you over here." I heard him sniff on the line.

"Yeah." I felt my eyes water, my voice choke on the words slightly. "Yeah sure. I'll keep it on from now on okay!" I fought to keep the tears at bay. Only to lose to them as they all told me they loved me one by one and hung up. I strangled the tears back down, lulling them back slowly with promises they'd get let out soon just not right now. Some pushed to freedom, riding down my cheek like rain drops in dry weather. I wasn't lying, I would let them out later when the sun went down and everyone was in bed – only silently though, I was never one to wail when crying. The mobile went again, wiping my eyes I answered with a sniff. "Hello?"

"Hello! Max? Who is this?" The voice held a temper to it…a voice that somehow managed to irritate me. "Hey! Put Max on! I need to speak to him! Now!" It was their pushiness that annoyed me.

"He's not able to come to the phone right now – he's sitting an exam and won't be done in till later on in the evening." There was silence from the other end. "He gave me his phone so I could take messages for him. Have you got something to say or not?" I couldn't help the round tone of annoyance that crept up in my voice…the uneasiness of tears was slowly getting replaced by a restless annoyance, the urge to hang up increasing by the second. I heard the guy breath out in irritation on the other side of the line.

"So who are you?" Came the rather 'I'm annoyed because I never got what I wanted' reply.

"A friend." I put simply leaning against the thick stone railing of the bridge behind me. "And you are?"

"A friend." He returned, making it obvious he wasn't going to talk much with me. "Look I need to speak to Max. So if he's there tell him to man up and answer me ok."

"Man up?" I growled. "That sounds like something a little child would say when they don't get what they want. And nothing like what a friend would say."

"What would you know about friends? You listen here kid, I've been friends with the guy for ages so I won't answer to some stupid girl that probably hasn't known him for more than a year! Now! Go put him on!" My last nerve broke. My 'friends' childish behaviour had reached its peak.

"You listen here ya bloody twat! For someone you've knew for a bloody year you sure don't know how the hell you talk to them politely! Always ME ME ME ME aren't ya! A stupid little ignorant child trying to act big in his little sandpit! Play it off for some view of 'valour' or 'honour' if it helps you sleep at night! But FUCK OFF with that arrogant crap of what you think a friend acts like! It changes bloody daily! I never know if I'm coming or going with you! You've fucked my head up! And don't give me the same old shit you usually do! I've paid for that by putting up with your selfish fucking nonsense! ME! ME! ME ME! BLOODY ME! It's all you bloody think about! And you shrug it off and push it onto me whenever you can, suddenly it's all my fault! A week away and I'm 'avoiding' you! ON YER BIKE YA TWAT!" I subsided, silence on the end of the line. Something that had been fighting to come out after years of being bottled up and supressed. The only thing I could hear was the silence on the end of the phone, my own hard breathing and the quick beating of my own heart in my ears.

"…You can't speak for him…Put him on. You don't know anything."

"Yeah. I know nothing, you've used that before. Look into the word 'friend' more and do some growing up. For your own sake. You might realise something." I hung up, slamming the block option as I closed the mobile. I turned around, ignoring the small group of onlookers that were watching me. I lent on the wall of the bridge staring at the water as my blood boiled in my veins. "Fucking idiot…" The words came out on their own, I noticed someone coming over to me but they turned as they heard this. I stared into the water watching it ripple from the vibrations of all the student's footsteps. There came a tap to my left shoulder, I looked over to a very concerned Hitomi.

"Are you alright?" Her sky blue eyes glowed with concern, I noticed the laces of a greyish black eye patch cupped in her hand. I looked back out at the water.

"Not really." I heard her move closer, leaning on the thick edge of the bridge with me. "Someone from the long lost past who only ever thinks of themselves. Someone I'd rather forget about to be honest."

"Then forget about them." I looked at Hitomi. "This person obviously has problems and relies on you. But it doesn't mean you should completely dedicate yourself to them when they're treating you so horribly." She sat up on the wall. "I mean I heard you say they that a few days off doing your own things means you're avoiding them. They obviously have problems. But then again just because you're their friends doesn't give them the right to constantly lash out at you does it? Friends don't do that. Friends are able to talk to each other, they don't need to shout to be heard or lash out to be seen. They know how to talk to you, and you know how to talk to them." Hitomi shuffled uncertainly. "Can I say something? You might not like it though…" I nodded. "Well…it sounds like that person is just using you to be honest. They're using you as a way to give themselves purpose, but at the same time they are breaking you down making you think you need them. Bleeding you dry. Max…that's **not** what a friend is. …I would never dream of doing that to you." Hitomi smiled at me. "Friends care. They are the wind beneath our wings and the song we sing in our hearts! Not the ones that pull us down further when we're hurting. I don't know what happened between you two. But I'd say you've paid your debt putting up with this person long enough. It's time to put it too bed – you don't have to justify yourself to someone like that!"

What she said…lifted me right up. It made so much sense that I was ashamed I hadn't caught onto it myself. This person really wasn't what I'd call a friend…so there was no shame in walking away from someone like that, is there? I would never be happy, not unless this person was gone. Let them deal with their own problems – maybe then they'll wake up.

"Yeah. Yeah your right Hito!" I smiled at her "Forget em. Let them cling to someone else. I'm not going to put up with their nonsense anymore!" Hitomi smiled at me sliding down from the wall.

She uncupped her right hand, the greyish black eye patch sitting in the middle of her palm. She pulled it up and out, holding it carefully. "Can I?" I lent forward as a response lowering my head so she could put the eye patch on easily. Closing my eyes I let her decide what eye to put it over. I felt Hitomi's fingers move in my hair, once everything was still I straightened up. Opening my eyes my right eye met the other side of the eye patch. Through my left eye Hitomi smiled at me. "It looks really good on you! It really enhances that sparkle to your eye!" She blushed.

"Yo!" Gippal called to us. "Hey! We found something to do! Come on, hurry up!" I looked at Hitomi.

"Come on!" She giggled taking my hand in hers. "We don't want to keep everyone waiting do we?" She lead me over to them…my real friends.

'_It really enhances that sparkle to your eye'_. No Hitomi. That was you…you set me free.


	24. Fashion Disaster

(Theres a hidden easter egg in this chapter, put you'll have to search a certin tag or title on a certin blogging website that starts with T ;D Anyho! Enjoy!)

Fashion Disaster

'Way I see it. There are two types of people. Those who spent their lives trying to build a future and those who spend their life trying to rebuild the past. For too long I've been stuck in-between…hidden in the dark.'

It was a flicker of a speech, flashing through my head like a razor. I came back to reality, my nerves once again hitting me like a landslide. My friends' idea of getting back to the norm was…getting me back in working order…and looking 'pretty'. The changing room door behind me – a make shift sanctuary after the girls rushed me with shears, lipstick and make up – bucked again under another shoulder barge. Gippal grumbled something on the other side letting out a small groan of pain. I felt a bit sorry for him…hammering your shoulder against a changing room door backed by a body would make anyone's shoulder ache. Then again he was a little too excited to let the girls play dress up with me, so I guess I really didn't care as much as I first thought.

There came a rather firm knock on the changing room door. "Stop being a baby…" Lightning's voice carried under the door.

"No!" I felt the door buck again. "Cut it out! I'm not playing dress up damn it! I'm not a doll!"

"But we need to cut your hair!" Yuna's voice popped over the top of the changing room now, much to my surprise. "You can't go around with hair that long! You won't be able to keep it looking nice!"

"I can so!"

There was silence from the other side. "Max, you couldn't even keep your hair in clean condition when you had it medium length as a boy…how are you going to deal with hair that long? Besides," The sound of a failed attempt to climb over into where I was. "there's someone coming to meet you. Don't you want to look nice for them? Make a good impression?"

Now that did peek my curiosity. Someone coming to see – me? I wondered who on earth it would be. Resigning myself I unlocked the door and stepped out of my safe heaven for the second time that day. The girls smiles peeked…they were obviously having fun. I was forced into one of the seats they have at the hairdressers – you know the big tall ones that you can never get comfy in – Rikku threw a towel around my neck and shoulders as the girls talked among themselves about what to do with my mop of hair. Losing myself, I stared into the mirror. The eye of the girl staring back at me was like something from a dream, a sparkling sky blue her black hair hanging in bangs covering the right side of her face – and the grey eye patch underneath. The pair of cat ears on top of her head seemed like just a natural part of her hair till one looked close enough. She's what I would pin as pretty…I could easily imagine myself passing her a red rose and that one sparkling sky blue eye glittering at me as she smiled. I caught myself the fantasy feeling all to real, the minor blush on my cheeks subsiding. The dressing room door swung open, Lulu stepped in with Wakka a kit of do dads and a pair of scissors clutched in her hand. She talked to the girls for a few seconds before wandering over to me, and settling a few different pairs of scissors and sprays on a little incline in the wall. Giving me a reassuring smile she took a pair of scissors and disappeared behind me, her reflection touched the top of my head her lips still smiling back at me from the mirror.

"Just nod when I touch your ears ok? I'm trying to figure out where you ears start and your hair begins." As soon as her fingers landed I nodded, a few tried after she was still hitting hair so I gave my ears a flick to clearly show her. She chuckled taking a strand of my hair between her fingers "They must be a pain…"

"Not really." I heard the scissors cut through the strands Lulu was holding. She pulled another strand "I'm not used to it – if that's what you're getting at. But I can hear rather acutely now…it's not something I'm used to though."

"Oh dear! You'll be wearing skin tight spandex next and cracking a wipe at villains." Lulu chuckled. "You're very relaxed about all this."

"Well…" I felt my cheeks blush "…I've been rather fond of cat girls…neko girls…" I heard her chuckle again.

"And so you're right at home. As a cute little cat girl." Lulu bowed my head a little more. "So, have you thought how long or short you're wanting your hair?"

"No. I've just been thrown into the whole thing. I was fine with the length it was." Bristles of hair were tickling my neck, shifting on the towel, clinging to me.

"Well…you like you're hair long. So…" Lulu took another strand, it fluttered down to the forming black mess gathering on the floor. "Why don't I make it short and manageable but keep the some length on the sides and fringe. So you have something to play with." Very unlike her I heard Lulu give a giggle. "Oh Max you're going to look so cute. You'll be beating the boys off with a stick!"

"I don't get it!" I almost leapt from the seat, the question had nagged at me since this whole farce began. "Why does everyone say I'm cute!? You know it's a guy stuck in a girls body right? …And yet you all want to play dress up with me." I bite my bottom lip not wanting anything else to slip out at that little lick of rage.

"Well you're our friend…that's why." Lulu stopped cutting, she rested her hands gently on my shoulders. "We're just trying to make you laugh is all. You've been so grumpy and unhappy since you woke up."

"Well things haven't exactly been normal have they?" I giggled. Lulu smiled back at me.

"Always seem like you forget where you are most of the time. And after having a little bit of a hissy fit you're back to your old self." She suddenly chuckled. "Or maybe you're just on your period!" I shook my head at her. The thought had occurred to me, it made a hell of a lot of sense with my rather sudden mood swings and my constant shouting recently. Lulu tapped me on the shoulder, bringing me out of my thoughts I had accidentally delved into. "Could you take off the eye patch? I don't want to cut through the string by accident while I'm cutting your hair." I removed it, able to see the back wall on either side of my neck now. "Oh wow…Rikku wasn't pulling my leg then." She was referring to my eyes. The two different eyes peered back at me from the mirror, the left a sparkling sky blue and the right a slightly cold blue. "If I was so," Lulu went back to cutting my hair "I wouldn't hide that new left eye of yours. Eyes are the gateway to the soul – or so a lot of people believe. Though your eye tells me…" Lulu took a look at me in the mirror as she worked on gathering another strand of hair – which was becoming shorter and more styled by the second, she looked away starting to cut again. "This person, they're kind and gentle. They will go to lengths to help a friend, though they will shut out any and all that try to hurt them. They are someone who will listen when your hurting, someone who will pick you up when you've fallen. They are someone that will shine…even in the darkest of darkness. That's why their eyes are so bright, they'll never be broken. They're far too strong for that." Smiling Lulu stepped away. "Right! All done!"

I hopped off the chair as Lulu expertly pulled away the towel from around my shoulders, not a single strand of loose cut hair got down my shirt. Putting my eye patch back on I admired her work in the mirror. I loved it. There was still a good length to my hair but nothing that would ever reach down past my ribs. My fringe was left long, it came down in three long bangs – one in the middle of my eyes and two longer ones down the sides, and the right side was just a tad longer than the left. The sides where long enough to cover up my ears, several strands were about the all length of the bangs on my fringe. The back was cut short no hair was below the bottom of my neck and it arched upwards gracefully. I blinked at myself in the mirror. I looked…better. The mop that was once my 'hair' was gone and dead, it felt a lot lighter as well.

"You like? Yes?" Lulu put on this really dodgey French accent. I nodded at her slowly, still taking myself in – blown away with how different it looked and how good a job she'd done. "Oh Missouri! You flatter me!" She didn't sound at all French…but I wasn't about to tell Lulu that.

A strong pair of arms grabbed me from behind, lifting me off the ground I was taken over to another mirror – this one full body. Snow let me down as Yuna, Rikku and Vanille rolled in several sets racks lined with clothes. The girls were had obviously been thumbing through things already as a little pile of things lay on a set not far off. Paine and Lightning rolled over a little screen, they rested it behind me so the boys or someone walking in couldn't watch. I felt uncomfortable again, the room around me felt damp and clingy making me fidget. Suddenly some little pocket computer was pushed in front of me, Fang gave a smile at me.

"Forgot to give this to ya. Sorry about that." She beamed a smile.

I blinked stupidly at the little hand held thing. "W-what is it?" I was usually pretty good with new tech, but this…this confused the hell out of me. It was slim with a wide screen, smooth sides holding buttons for some functions I was unfamiliar with.

"Well with Balamb being up and running the school has a network." I looked at her, the school had a network already. "No no. Not that one. This is more of a personal space for each and every student." She touched the screen a little window of something popping up…it looked like a blog. "Everyone got given one of these so that we can keep track of things. Has a calendar, calculator, a dairy, date reminder and a personal space to post on. You can even follow other student's stuff if you so desire. Oh! And you'll love this!" She flipped something away on the screen to make something else pop up. "This is a VR file share. They've installed software onto the VR systems that let students create their own games, character models, environments and lots of other neat stuff. Though," Fang rubbed the back of her head "I guess you won't want to go back in there for a while…"

"Nope!" I shook my head. "I have to get back in the saddle sometime!" I grinned, she chuckled.

"Glutton for punishment eh? Aw well! Glad you're not twice shy mate. Anyway!" She flipped the VR menu away and brought up the last screen. "This will cheer you up. While you were out of it, I got your own space up and running for ya!" Fang really had, there was pages of posts! "Put all your stories up there and people seem to really like em! Heck even the newspaper club has published some on the school newspaper – got a lot of followers for your stories as well! But. If anyone from outside the school network ever managed to find your page…I doubt they could see any of the posts we make on the inner network…so yeah. Not really sure about that to be honest!"

I gapped a certain story having well over a hundred likes and comments asking for more. "They do know you're not me right?" I glanced at Fang who grinned.

"Mate. The first thing I ever posted there was to say I was filling in for a dear friend of mine. They know I'm posting your stuff for ya. That's why they like it! Oh!" Fang clicked her fingers. "Before I forget again! There was someone…some girl called – Air-ares. Aeris? That sounded about right! Some girl called Aeris that's leader of the newspaper club – she wanted to speak to you in person when she could. Was something about publishing your stories regularly in the school newspaper, they're trying to get some of the schools storywriters noticed."

"That…is a lot of followers." I defiantly couldn't count them all. "Half of these people I've never even heard of. I notice some though…wonder if bitch squads on here." I looked down a few more usernames.

"Nah! Don't bother mate. Their pages are all about nonsense to be honest…I had a look and had to go play chess afterwards to make myself feel less retarded." Fang put her hands on her hips.

"You're not retarded Fang!" I chuckled. She smiled happily again.

"I know! But after surfing their pages for about an hour or two I swear I felt upstairs being to seize up and die!" She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "If you ever catch me on those pages again Max – do me a favour…kill me. Ok?" I nodded at her. Fang just chuckled…she was what I'd call a really good friend. I wished I had met her sooner – I wish I had met all of them sooner.

I heard the click of hangers next to me the sudden realisation of where I was and what was going to happen hit me dead bang – it didn't phase me. I found myself…excited? Yuna came over with a rather unique looking dress, it was a deep violet with detached sleeves and belts going across the chest. I loved it at first sight, though getting into it was…tricky. The curtain pulling back I felt myself strangely at ease in the dress – a boy in a dress comfy? Yes. Everyone behind the curtain clapped faces set in smiles. Rikku came over tying a deep violet silk scarf around my neck and putting a pair of matching flowers in my hair.

"Looks good!" Rikku chirped hopping back. I blinked as she pulled something small from nowhere. "Cheese!" She giggled. I only realised what it was when the flash came, she taken a photograph…and I had been reaching to loose the deep violet belts across my chest.

The picture was nice, Rikku had said that it would be a small keepsake for when I turned back to normal – though I had a better used for it. The rest of the day flew by, swimming was cancelled so I didn't have to worry about getting in the pool or trying to convince the teacher that I was a girl without a proper bathing suit. Those were things for another day and time. The time ate itself away as everyone told me crazy stories about what they had done while I was gone. About the hellish exam questions they'd answered…and how much I made the world brighter for them. It was nice – if a bit soppy. But hey, good friends are able to cry in front of each other right? And it's not like everything can be fun and games. After all this had happened Yuna and I went back to our dorm…where I found out my dress could be used as an ordinary top – it was why Yuna had chosen it for me. It could be a dress if I really wanted it to, but a few buttons out here and there and I could wear it as a sorta tank top. I cuddled her so hard when she told me that, I had really missed her. We talked for what must have been hours, we had got in at about nine in the evening and when next I looked at the clock it was two in the morning on Saturday. Yuna had fallen asleep, I put her under her covers and with the last of my own strength nabbing…I made the picture Rikku had took my icon for my blog. After that. I went to bed. So I was fresh for a new day.


	25. Breath in the Sails

Breath in the Sails

_The cold night aired whispered through the deserted streets of the city. Rows of houses casting long and monstrous shadows down the lanes of street, creeping over lesser buildings and creeping in through peeks in poorly pulled curtains. My bubble gum popped loudly even over the roar of our trucks engine._

"_Dammit Max!" Gippal cast a glare at me as he climbed out the drivers' seat. "Could you not be serious for ONCE in your life?" I popped my bubble gum at him, knowing it would irritate him. He glared at me the reflection of my scythe catching in his eyes. "Psycho bitch…fucking drama queen…" Gippal stalked off practically slamming the radio into Snows hand._

_Snow watched the man stalk of, climb into his own car and slam the door shut murmuring unpleasant things behind the 'safety' of a closed door. Snow came over, the oversized killer of a shotgun slung over his back like a pile of cotton buds._

"_You really have to tease him at a time like this?" I looked at him, his resolve broke quickly under it – frantically thinking of a way to turn the conversation around. "So you sure you're up to this? I mean…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "You are helping us hunt your own kind."_

_My gaze narrowed on him. "**My OWN kind?**" I lent further towards him from where I was sitting on the back of the truck bed. "**And what would you know about MY kind human?**" Even so big and strong a man as him trembled. "**Would you look at that. You're already shaking. And you said you and your Hunters were all stone cold fearless killers!**" I chuckled trying to lighten the air a little. "**You'll need it tonight hunter…they already knows we're here…**"_

_The radio in Snow hands cracked to life. "Snow?" Paine's voice cracked over the air waves…I could hear her from miles away even without the tiny thing._

"_All ready over there?"_

"_Yeah! Just say when we're moving out! I'm ready to drive a stack through this things heart personally."_

"_Great!" Snow wagged a finger around, various individuals in black leather hunter uniforms stepped forward. The red sparrow sowed onto the right sleeve the insignia of the order. "Time to roll out and put this thing to bed ladies and gents. Battalion Nora is going to be the one to get this monster! Let's go bag us a crit!"_

_I watched from under my hood – the restrictive thick black leather coat and torso's feeling far-fetched and clumsy from my usual attire. My heavy leather boots should have been my Nightingale Grieves, the finger less black gloves my trusty Bracers. I felt naked and clumsy. My scythe was the only thing that made me feel half way decent…all these other fools rushed in with knives, maces, pistols and anything else they could get their clumsy and fragile hand on. …It was an adorable display though – if misguided. That's the one things about humans, let them learn of the monsters in the dark and they'll fight tooth and nail against them. They'll band together and tare down the ancient castles of century old vampires, rampage through werewolf liars and even upturn ancient gods domains. But when it came to me?...What then? Three hundred of these people had thrown themselves into the fray when I appeared at their base...three hundred of the finest Hunters – slaughtered in a few mere seconds with but a single action. The look on your face Snow...I will savour that moment. The moment you realised you'd bitten off far more than you could chew._

"_I don't like when you make that face Max..." Lulu stepped out from the shadows along the side of the truck. Her pale skin glowing in the full moons light. "...It just screams that your plotting."_

_I grinned at her "**Was I so obvious Lulu?**" We'd never got along. 'Trust' was a thing some of these hunters lacked when it came to ones that weren't 'human'._

"_If you try anything..." He eyes narrowed on me._

"_**If I 'try' anything...**" I raised an eyebrow at her. Her glare held on me...I grinned deviously. "**Dear Lulu...If I 'tried' anything you would be dead before you hit the ground...remember just WHO you're talking too.**" I felt something cold at my throat._

"_YOU TRY! I SLICE! YOU UNDERSTAND!?" Brothers high-pitched voice hurt my ears...the attention of the crowd turned to our little stage theatrics._

_I chuckled, quickly knocking the back end of my scythe staff back on the buffoons face – I connected, he stumbled back. The Hunters all around armed all manner of weapons pointing at me as I dentally hopped from the back of the truck. Lulu made sure to push one of her daggers hard into the base of my spin, a certain unique sword slide under my chin as well. Paine stepped forward, crimson eyes ablaze with hatred._

"_Paine! Lulu! That's enough! Everyone stand down! Cut it out!" They backed off at Snow command. I felt like saying something but held my tongue. "You all know she's not our enemy! So cut it out! I'm tired of all the in-house fighting between everyone and her!"_

"_**I'm not!**" I giggled, it very clearly annoyed everyone around me. Brother gave something between a curse and a mutter behind me in Al Bhed. "**And don't be so cowardly to try and mince your words in a dialect others can't understand my dear!**" I glanced over my shoulder to see Brother grumble something under his breath as he walked away holding his nose...a thin trail of red running between his round fingers._

"_...What a nice little party we have going here..." The voice crept out from the inner mass of hunters. They backed off weapons pointing to the owner, a young boy with blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. I had known the face well...he had been a cheerful lad. "Woo! Easy now!" He backed away from the various instruments of war pointed at him. "Geez guys! Thought I would get a warmer reception than this – I mean I was one of ya after all for crying out loud." I saw right through him, right through the act._

_There was a ruckus from behind. Rikku was struggling to hold back Yuna, who was intent on going over to her seemingly 'deceased' friend. Wakka seemed to be having trouble aiming his spiked blitz ball at his former friend and comrade as well – both looking like they were about to break._

"_Why'd you come Ti?" Baralai was set up with his beloved rifle on one of the tall reinforced Jeep the group had brought them. "You know what you are don't you?" I saw his hands giving off minor tremors. He pulled back the charging handle "So why'd you come here?!" The tremor notice-fully increased._

"_Cause!" Fang appeared from out of a sudden dark cloud, she daintily sat on Lai's shoulder. "We thought we might pop in and have a little chat with you lot before the 'main attraction' starts!" She played with strands of his hair between her fingers. "So...miss me?" Fang gave coyly. Lai said nothing, she looked noticeably upset about being ignored. "What's with the cold shoulder Baralai? Not got time for an old friend now?" Fang reached for the barrel of his rifle, effortlessly she bent it back on itself. "You know I don't like being IGNORED right?"_

"_Cut it out Fang..." The voice came with a flash of steel, Paine took two or three steps back. Lightning like Fang had appeared from nowhere, her blade wanting to bite deep into Paine's neck only held back by the steady control of it's owner. "They're not happy about us crashing their party like this. Though Snow was never very good at the stealthy approach..." She cast her steel gaze towards the man in question – who had shotgun and teeth bared at her_

_There was a small faint glow of a flame as someone began to materialise from transparency. "I'd put that down honey." Serah smiled. "I wouldn't want to have to kill you now!" The playfulness in her voice said something completely different._

_Vanille quickly drew her bow back only to torn from her. Buddy grinned at her as she looked up at him from the cobble paving, she was shaking from head to toe._

"_Can't letcha do that Vany." His furred hand flexed the bow snapping it like a twig, Vanille struggled to her feet pulling a small serrated knife from out of her boot. She backed off in till she was safely between two others._

_I covered my head with the blade of my scythe the air above me shattering an instant later, the heavy clang of a blade ringing out._

"_Hmpf. You're as sharp as ever I see..." His voice drifted down from above his weight leaving the scythe as he jumped off to land in front of me. Short brown hair and blue eyes more piercing than the two swords he bore, his outfit tribal and of the same design as Fangs._

"_**And you're as proud as ever Noel. Casting your presence like that before you strike.**" He half smiled at me._

"_He does learn quickly." The cold voice came right from behind me. I throw a glance over my shoulder, Christie was sitting on the trucks back bed a big smile on her lips. Like someone who had been given a medal or crowned victor. "Miss me?"_

"_**A teeny bit.**" I threw back. Noting Hitomi taking aim behind me with her huge magnum revolver. "**Was wondering when you would all show up to be honest...I don't like being made to wait around.**" I failed to stifle my yawn "**Really took your time making a grand entrance didn't you?**"_

_I felt Christie smile behind me. "And what would be the fun in just walking right in to slaughter everyone?" It was then I started noticing the various shapes on the rooftops, an army of mishmashed monsters, vampires and werewolves all group together to try and take out the last resistance of light...how coy. "Born in the very heart of darkness, you, the very thing of nightmares. I'll ask – will you join us? Will you forsake your ungrateful companions and turn cold steel to them...as they would eventually to you?"_

_The air filled with tension Hunters eyes flicking from the theatrics to the various threats and targets now present on both street and rooftop. I could only laugh, laugh at the foolish pride of a young but powerful vampire! So full of pride! So full of the borrowed power of blood-magic that the girl had sucked from the veins of her creator! Such FOOLISH pride. My laughter subsided...kids these days._

"_**My dearest little fool of a vampire!**" The shadows of the area twisted, pooling into a mass underneath me if spread out like a trickle of dark water, long thin wisps of darkness raising up for it like poisonous vapour. "**You've forgotten your place here.**" I turned smiling at her, an old smile I hadn't worn in a long time. "**To bring with you an army of dolls and instantly think yourself the victor...don't make me laugh! Oh but you've already done that!**" Various hunters and members of the mash shift army were now squirming uncomfortably, fight or flight screeching across their faces. The shadows were now climbing up over walls a set of disturbing moans escaping from them, things beginning to move under the surface. "**So I'll riddle you this! Before yourself what is there?**" She remained silent, obviosuly spooked having lost her nerve and the forces I weilded. "**First there's death...then there's me!**"_

_Lilith. The first of the Dark._

"Max!" I shot up, Yuna's voice waking me from the dream. Shivering in a cold sweat I looked at her. She grimaced at me, putting a gentle hand on my shoulder in the early morning light. "It was just a dream, you're okay. Now I need you to get ready okay? We have History soon and I need you to meet someone today." I nodded shakily, Yuna only moved away when I swung my feet over the side of the bed and stood up.

The 'dream' has felt real. Like another place in time and space, an alternative twisted universe of my own imagining. But yes, this dream had frightened me – in my cold sweat I stood shivering trying to break down what had happened. But that darkness...it had felt..._real_. I shook my head, banishing the thought as I went over to the very small pile of female clothes I now owned. Without thinking too much I slipped into the school uniform again struggling against the skirt to try and get some extra length from it. More from paranoia I briefly lifted the eye patch, half expecting some bizarre power of darkness to shot out from it...though it never happened and I lowered it again with a sigh of relief. Before long we were moving – expect for the small mistake of leaving behind my PDA and having to rush back for it...and tripping on my shoddily tied laces in the process and almost breaking said object. Yuna and I ran to the classroom , only managing to get through the door about forty seconds before Auron himself entered the classroom. Short on breath I took my usual spot, pulling out my notepad and text books as per routine. And then it hit...I was a girl...A GIRL! Sitting in a BOYS seat! A boy that may have been that girl but still! I was a complete stranger here! How was I going to explain all this?!

"Right! Everyone turn to page one hundred and seventeen, we'll be discussing the SOLDIER project for today. As always you are responsible for taking notes on the topic and there will be an end of unit assessment on the topic." Auron addressed us after 'scribbling' the page number on the board.

I blinked surprised. Had he missed me? Was he ignoring it? I opened the text book to the page with the rest of the class, preparing my notebook as well. Or was it that no one noticed or seemed to care? Maybe someone had been sent running around the school shouting.

"_Hey! If you see a girl with cat ears running around the school! Don't worry! It's just Max! Don't make a fuss about it!"_

I passed a hand through my now smoother and less tuggy feminine hair. Maybe someone really had done that. Or maybe I was just amusing myself with fantasy to try and procrastinate on my work...yeah, it really felt like the second one. Auron was going on about Materia and how it was fused or something in the early years of the S.O.L.D.I.E.R. Project, I glanced over at Yuna who as usual was having no problems whatsoever keeping up with Auron's lecture. I rested my elbow on the desk then my chin on my palm...unfortunately it gave off a rather loud thud. Auron looked over at me.

"...Not going to sleep on us are you?" He gave coolly starting at me over the tops of his sunglasses as the class turned it's attention towards me. Yuna gave me a 'why did you do that?' look her face going a little red. "Perhaps you'd like to read through page one hundred and eighteen to page one hundred and thirty seven?" I knew with his tone, it wasn't a request.

"Yes sir." I mentally sighed picking up the book from my desk and slowly began to read.

I had never been very good at reading aloud, I always got tongue tied – I was one of these people who's mind read a hell of a lot faster than their mouth could keep up with. Regardless I took my time, trying my hardest not to make a bigger idiot of myself than Auron had already marked me out to look like. I was doing fine in till the wolf whistles blared out...the popular idiots at the back of the class had finally taken notice, or moved then it meant they'd get more attention.

"My my! That girls got one hell of a figure!" Tina broke out into another whistle.

"MY BEDROOM! NOW!" I heard the laughter erupt at the back of the class from Lee Fangs comment. Auron slammed his book on Yuna's table to get order back...half frightening Yuna to death in the process.

"That's enough out of you lot. Detention for three weeks, a thousand times on the board 'I will not interrupt my teachers lessons for such simple minded nonsense.'" Auron then looked at me. "You can sit down now." I did so, shaking a little from nerves – I never liked being the centre of attention. There came a loud knock from the door. A girl with long brown hair done up in a ponytail with a pink scrunchy poked her green eyes in. "Ah. Don't worry. I haven't forgotten." Yuna was getting up, she came over to me as Auron fixed his sunglasses on his nose. "You two have fun now. Make sure to read to page one hundred and thirty for next time." I got up, following Yuna out the room. "So what one of you idiots up the back want to start first?" Auron asked as the door pulled to.

"Well that was certainly a nice thing to get away from." The girl said a small smile gracing her lips. She was dressed in a white summer dress and little pink sandals, her voice was even softer than Yuna's. "Heeelllloooooo?" She gave sweetly waving a hand in front of my eyes. I blinked snapping out of the narration stupor I was in.

"Oh! Sorry! I was miles away." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. She smiled at me, Yuna tabbed me on the shoulder.

"I haven't introduced you two yet. Max this is Aeris. Aeris this is Max." Aeris smiled sweetly at me, putting out her hand.

"Nice to met you!" I took her hand shaking it. "It's finally nice to met the man behind the stories we've been publishing for the school!" She saw me raise an eyebrow at her. "Oh don't worry! Yuna has told me about what happened. I know who you really are!" Aeris smiled more, I smiled back.

She turned leading us down the corridor towards the library, instead of going in Aeris walked down to a small room hidden in a little turn in the corridor – I had always thought it was a storage room. As she opened the door and stepped inside, I heard the rattling of keyboards and the electronic humming of printers. The room was small with one window – wide open to try and let some sort of breeze into the small stuffy place – four people including Aeris were present in the room, the members of the News Paper Club. Aeris clapped, gaining the three boys attention.

"Right!" She spun round on her heels to me, fingers interlaced, thumps resting on her chin. "We've only been established for about five months now. But these 3 fine gentleman and myself run the News Paper Club!" Aeris beamed a smile. "Over there having a hard time at typing is our one and only Cloud Strife!" Cloud never lifted his head – he was obivously having trouble spelling something. "Over by the board, is the charming Zack Fair!" Zack winked at us, though I knew it was mostly meant for Aeris by the way she blushed. "And the one over there by the printers is Noel Kreiss!"

The messy brown haired boy came over and stuck his hand out in front of me. "Nice to met ya." He was defiantly friendly, he was wearing something like Fang would a blue tribal uniform of such. His blue eyes reflected Yuna and I – I took his hand and shook it, much to his enjoyment.


	26. Of Word, Ice Cream And Summer Heat

Of Words, Ice Cream and Summer Heat

I'll be honest. If I had known that going to the News Paper clubs group room would mean I'd have been forced into slave labour for two hours – then I would take nicked a few smoke bombs from our school ninjas and made an ungraceful escape during the smoky confusion. Though I hadn't been so lucky and had been made to slave over something to put in the paper...It wasn't even what I thought was half way decent...but Aeris seemed happy about it.

_I remember the girl with the Bell Bobble in her hair._

_How could I forget._

_There's a girl with angel wings._

_Living in my head._

_She hates the rain._

_So I keep the rain from falling._

_I gave her a bell bobble one-day._

_She wears it in her hair._

_Yes._

_I remember the girl with the bell bobble in her hair._

_How could I forget._

Sitting there in that chair, having people breathing down my neck waiting for something...it was the only thing I could think of. Where was that girl? Had she even been real? The more I had focused on it the more I seemed to want some sort of answer to it – a conclusion, an end of. If she had been some kind and mysterious phantom conjured up by my tattered ruined mind...then she was...she defiantly felt alive. Her eyes had sparkled at me they glowed with concern, love even...there was life and intelligence behind them. It was something that couldn't be faked – could it? My ears drooped, the deep thought an endless rabbit hole of never-ending paths and pit holes.

"Something wrong?" I looked up to Yuna who's kind eyes were glowing with concern, the two ice creams she had for us clasped in her gentle hands.

"I'm fine." I smiled, sliding off the spot I had been sitting on on the way – I took the ice cream when she offered it to me with a small smile.

"You know you can talk to me about anything right?" She cupped both hands around her ice cream, her eyes focusing on me. "You always seem to me a million miles away these days. You can tell me anything that's on your mind Max. Okay?" Her smile was so gentle and genuinely loving that it made me blush, I took a quick lick at my ice cream and nodded at her – she smiled at me satisfied with the answer. "So how did you fin-"

Yuna suddenly stopped her body slamming into mine, I lost my footing with the force of it and stumbled back, I flung and arm round her to try and keep her safe as we both tumbled off our feet. There was a dull wet plop as I felt my spine shiver from the impact of the concrete below me. Yuna shifted onto her knees rubbing her forehead that was a bit red from the sudden fall, I glanced up as Yuna turned round...Helena and her marry band of hussies towered above us.

"Aw! Look! The loveable little losers on a rebound is she? With some fucking freak as well!" She placed a hand by her mouth all posh and let out some sort of sophisticated cackle. "Isn't this just adorably priceless girls?! Two little freak losers in love! Oh my it just tickles me!" Her little band joined in with her...mindless sheep.

Helena turned moving away with her band of vultures, throwing some childish insult over her shoulder as she left. I helped Yuna up to her feet, she nursed her forehead. Somehow I'd still managed to hold onto my own ice cream, Yuna glanced over at her own one splattered on the ground. I pushed mine out in front of her.

"I can't." She rubbed her forehead, eyes watering the tiniest bit – fright from the sudden violent shove she'd received. I smiled at her, placing the cone in her hand and cupping it with my free one.

"Don't be silly." I smiled at her. "Of course you can!" Yuna looked at me a small blush floating across her nose.

"B-but it's yours...and you already licked it." She blushed even more eyes to shy to met mine. I understood, even if it was only a tiny little lick I could understand why.

"Well!" I grinned at her, she blushed even more. "You can have some of mine while I get you another one!" Yuna looked at me then, going even redder.

"Y-y-you don't have to!" She stammered. I patted her on the head, losing myself to how adorable she was...all flustered and frantic over me buying her another ice cream.

"No. It's my treat! You were kind enough to by me one and that rabble of prehistoric idiots cruelly made you drop yours. So I'm going to go get you a new one. Okay?" She smiled shyly at me, I felt butterflies in my stomach – a warm sensation warming my very core. "Won't be a minute." I set off toward the one day ice cream stall one of the cooking classes had set up.

Joining onto the back of the queue I glanced back towards Yuna, she was standing there constantly staring at the ice cream I had given her. I smiled at the thought that she might have been wanting to have a lick of it, but for some reason she felt the need not to. Yuna was always considerate of others...but I really wish if she was THAT desperate for a taste of ice cream she would just take a bite or lick of mine – which I had told her was fine for her to do! I chuckled at the thought as the line quickly disappeared in front of me, before long I had payed my one gil and was heading back with her ice cream. Yuna had bought strawberry for the two of us so I returned with one of the same – I had been lucky to get the last scoop of it.

"That was quick." Yuna blinked taking her cone from he and handing me mine. She inspected it carefully then glancing at me added "Are you sure this is okay?"

I almost burst out laughing. "It's fine Yuna! I wouldn't have bought you a new one if I couldn't afford it." She smiled shyly at me then took a lick of her ice cream. Her eyes bulged with delight. "It's really good!" She chirped, quickly going on a licking rampage with her ice cream. I giggled, she was so adorable.

I hoped up onto the wall nursing the strawberry chunk of creamy ice, she was right, it was really good. Yuna hoped up onto the wall a few seconds after me, hanging her legs over the ledge all ladylike. I took note trying to arch my legs on the side of the wall like she done. Yuna noticed and smiled putting her legs out in front of her – I copied her, she giggled in response. I realised why a little too late.

"Nice!" Came the distant call of some guy.

I had forgotten I was wearing a skirt. Embarrassed to death I slammed my feet against the fall and with my free hand pulled the hem of my skirt down. A burning red strip of embarrassment rolling across my nose I took a bite of ice cream to try and cool down. It really didn't help! How stupid could I get?! Forgetting something like that...I sat there mortified and even more embarrassed when the wolf whistles sounded. Yuna touched me on the arm.

"Hey. Come on. We'll go somewhere else." I nodded in response to her soft voice.

Yuna hopped down from the wall, I hopped off as well slotting on the side closest to the wall. The guys by this time were starting to get wild shouting all sorts of things over – REALLY wanting me to come over to talk to them, and bring my pretty friend with me. I'd never been good with that sort of attention, even if it was a girl I liked I still shrunk away when they got like this...which in my case was once every blue moon. We ventured away from the cries of hungry wolves out in the main game fields round to what looked at first glance like a garden. I blinked noticing the small stream that flowed through little garden, the tinkling of the small waves setting a relaxing feeling into me.

"Max?" I jumped at Yuna's voice the stream having pulled me into deep thought completely. She smiled at my even more reddening face as she crossed a tiny little bridge spanning across the tiny stream of water. I crossed a few seconds after her going over to the spot she was sitting crossed-legged in the cut grass. She tapped the spot next to her, I sat. "What do you think?" She obviously meant the garden, but for half a millisecond I thought she meant what I thought of the pigs that were throwing wolf whistles at me.

The little garden was relaxing, calm and serene. I had only just sat down in the finely cut grass and already I felt as if I had sat there for an hour or two. In the warm heat the coolness from the nearby stream somehow managed to float over and give the dry air moisture. I felt as if I could lay down and fall into such a deep slumber that the very currents of the water would paint my dreams. I felt at ease. Safe. And at home. Yuna took my answer from my face a serene smile gracing her lips, her eyes sparkling at me. Gently she placed her head on my shoulder breathing out a heavy sigh of something.

"I knew you would like it here." She almost murmered to herself. "We never get to do stuff like this...we always have everyone else around us." Here she glanced up at me with a green eye. "Do you remember when I took you into the Farplane?" I left my cheeks flush at the thought of the kiss, the memory suddenly rushing back and making my heart skip a beat. I nodded. Yuna smiled, popping the almost empty cone in her mouth she wrapped both her arms around my right arm, pulling herself snugly into my side. "Do oo tink we'll get to boo that thish year?" Her words muffled with the still whole cone lodged in her mouth, just as I processed the question she bite down on said cone. Did I think we would get to do that this year? I shook my head at her, unsure and not wanting to give a false answer or wake up any false hope. Yuna gave something between a chuckle and a giggle and cuddled into my side again – I felt my cheeks flush with the movement. She gave out a long drawn moan like one makes when they crawl into bed "You're so warm." I felt again that she drew herself in closer, I took a huge bite of my ice cream. I instantly regretted it.

A searing pain shot up my jaw, tearing it's way up the side of my skull it nestled in the back of my brain then rose up bursting as it went. I clutched the side of my head groaning a little from the unexpected brain freeze. Yuna instantly knew what had happened, she chuckled at me smiling sweetly then tapped the very back of my head – a warm soothing sensation of a cure spell smother the bitter bite of the brain frost bite. I turned an eye to her, her face blushing slightly as she smiled at me even more...I felt my lips curl into a smile and my nose beginning to rage with a fiery blush. I couldn't even being to wonder what others thought of this weird spectacle. A girl with cat ears in an old CP school uniform eating ice cream with another female student and the two were having a blushing marathon...and the other student was no other than the High Summoner herself. But regardless of several pair of on looking eyes...something stirred in my gut...something burning, wanting to get out. As Yuna finished the last of her cone I waited for her to met my eye again, on doing so she smiled at me.

"Yuna. I-I..." Her eyes widened with curiosity but softened with sensitivity as she leaned slightly closer to hear what I had to say. I was stammering, my mind was ablaze with what I wanted to say but so many other inner voices were protesting or cheering for or against it. "Yuna...d-do-do. Do y-y-y-you. Um. W-we-we. I...you. Um!" Yuna was looking at me with some sort of anticipation, her body held ridged eyes glittering in waiting, oh my heart was playing such cruel and awful tricks on me with that adorable face she was pulling now! I gulped, trying to regain my composure my nose and cheeks now red with increasing fire. I took a mental breath, starting again. "Would...do you really maybe...still-"

"So this is where you two got off too?!" Rikku ploncked herself down in the grass with us. "So what are you two up to then? Romantic chat? Oh! Can I join in?!" Yuna gave Rikku something between a smile and a frown.

"Rikku...it's rude to interrupt like that!" Yuna puffed her cheeks out, obviously quite annoyed at what had transpired.

"S-sorry Yunie!" Rikku flew into a flutter knowing she'd annoyed her cousin. "I-I just hadn't seen you two all day! And I thought 'Hey! There over there sitting in the grounds garden so why not go over and talk to them since I never got time to do that without everyone else being around!' B-but I really wasn't thinking! And I! I'm really sorry Yunie!" Rikku by now was in such a mess she sounded like she was about to cry. Yuna just smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it Rikku. These things happen! I just got annoyed since Max was about to tell or ask me something and you interrupted is all." Yuna looked at me. "So what were you going to say?" She blinked at me eyes glittering with curiosity and wonder. I looked away, drawing my eye over to the grass on my left.

"N-nothing. It wasn't important at all!" My resolve had shattered I no longer had the nerve to ask what was so pushing me a few seconds ago. The blush I was hiding was no molten rock that was burning into my face, I was so utterly embarrassed I could hardly string a mental sentence together!

Yuna never said anything. I think it wasn't so obvious to her what I was about to say...or maybe she just didn't want to show that in front of Rikku. The younger Al Bhed though, was insistent in trying to find out what I was going to say and so she constantly pestered me for about half an hour trying to find out. She never got anywhere.

"Oh yeah!" Rikku poked me in the ribs as I finished the very last bit of cone for my ice cream – which was well needed in the heat. "We managed to get you a bathing suit for swimming later on today. We really hope you like it!" Rikku suddenly grabbed my arm "Come on! I'll show ya!"

I couldn't protest much, we had PE in about fifteen minutes anyway. So I let Rikku drag me – yes drag – to the swimming changing cubicles. But as I was getting dragged there talking with Yuna and Rikku, I couldn't escape the constant pull in my mind that I had missed my chance to tell Yuna just how I felt. The thought was like a noose slowly tightening around my neck, guilt and fear the noose-men how controlled the floor beneath my feet. The whole thing was something I was afraid of starting, I mean, I had changed – I wasn't a guy any more! So how on earth would I feel if I was in Yuna OR Christie's shoes? Would I still love this person? Would I not know how to feel? And then there was this constant knowledge of nothing the other liked this person as well...so how would I? I let the thought go...I didn't want to think about it. I just wanted back to normality. I should of just said what was burning in my heart – I should have just said;

_Yuna, do you love me? Because...I would cross the stars themselves if it meant being with you._

I should have. But I didn't. So I'll remember to write it down...and ask you when I understand how you feel, and I understand how I feel.


End file.
